The debut season for the all new 2017 Yamaha R6 could not have gone any better! GRT Yamaha Official WorldSSP Team's Lucas Mahias enjoyed a sensational year to become the FIM Supersport World Champion, while his teammate Federico Caricasulo's strong season that saw him finish in fifth overall saw GRT lift the Team title as well. Yamaha also lifted the Manufacturer's title to completely dominate the class in 2017, and with Mahias returning to defend his crown alongside teammate Caricasulo, 2018 should be an even better season.

Mahias' championship victory meant that the Yamaha has been crowned champions in one of the most competitive classes around four times in the last 8 years, highlighting the sensational performance of the R6 in its various iterations. Completely restyled by Yamaha last year to give the 600cc Supersport World Championship bike a radical new look to match its racing ambitions. The new design was clearly inspired by the latest generation MotoGP and WorldSBK models - the M1-type central forced air intake, recessed LED twin headlights and new R1 style tail just being three examples - giving the bike an intense look that's instantly recognizable as being a member of the R-series family, while its own unique character still shines through.

The WorldSSP Championship's regulations allow only very subtle alterations to the consumer bike's cylinder head, gearbox, rear shock, front fork, electronic system and brake disks creating a close symmetry between track and road, and a greater appreciation between racer and fan.