Italian rider Locatelli has enjoyed a sensational first season in the WorldSBK championship, which sees him now sit fourth in the standings heading into the final five rounds. After four race weekends where he continued to get to grips with the Yamaha R1 WorldSBK, the Italian’s breakthrough weekend came at the TT Circuit Assen, where he scored his first podium finish.
Since the Dutch round, the 24-year-old is yet to finish outside the top four with further podiums coming at Most and, most recently, Magny-Cours. His performances had already triggered a clause in his contract seeing him remain with Yamaha for 2022, but both the manufacturer and rider are keen to continue this relationship into 2023, where Yamaha hopes to help him challenge for race wins and championship titles.
Locatelli stepped up to the 2021 WorldSBK grid following a record-breaking FIM Supersport World Championship campaign that saw him take 12 victories and the title, which he clinched with three rounds to spare in Barcelona. His climb from WorldSSP rookie to WorldSBK front-runner perfectly represents Yamaha’s step-up program and its commitment to giving young riders the opportunity to realise their potential.
