Yamaha officially presented its 2017 factory MotoGP team, introducing riders Maverick Vinales, Valentino Rossi and the updated livery for the YZR-M1.
The new livery sports a deeper blue color and retains the prominent green M logo of Spanish telecom company Movistar, the team’s primary sponsor.
Of course, the biggest change is the addition of Vinales’ #25 replacing the familiar #99 of Jorge Lorenzo who ended a nine-year run with Yamaha to join Ducati. Vinales joins Yamaha after two seasons with Suzuki. Vinales finished 12th overall in 2015, winning the premier class’ Rookie of the Year honors but made great strides as a sophomore, earning his first win and four total podiums and finishing fourth overall in the 2016 championship.
“Today we revealed the bike and it looks beautiful, I wish I could start riding it right now!” says Vinales. “When I was a kid, I used to watch Valentino riding his M1 and now I’m here at the team launch, it’s like a dream come true! I’m so happy and motivated and I’m ready to give it my all.”
Rossi will again be trying to win his 10th world championship after finishing second in each of the last three seasons.
“After the winter break, the team launch is always a very exciting time for everybody, not only for us, the riders and the team, but also for the fans. Sincerely, I’m just as happy as they are to start the new season, I have missed riding my bike,” say Rossi. “The pre-season test in Sepang will be an interesting moment, we will get a good idea of our level and it’s also the first time I’ll get to take the YZR-M1 out on track in its 2017 colors.”
The Sepang test takes place Jan. 30 to Feb. 1, followed by a test at Australia’s Phillip Island Feb. 15-17. The final pre-season test is scheduled for March 10-12 at Qatar’s Doha circuit which will host the first race of the 2017 season on March 26.
| 2017 Yamaha YZR-M1 Specifications | |
|---|---|
| Engine Type | Liquid-cooled inline-Four with crossplane crankshaft |
| Displacement | 1000cc |
| Max Power (claimed) | Over 240hp |
| Transmission | Six-speed cassette-type gearbox with alternative gear ratios available |
| ECU | FIM-regulated Magneti Marelli |
| Chassis | Aluminum twin-tube deltabox frame with multi-adjustable steering geometry and aluminum swingarm |
| Suspension | Öhlins upside-down fork and rear shock |
| Front Brakes | Twin 320mm or 340 mm carbon discs with four-piston calipers from Brembo |
| Rear Brakes | Single stainless steel disc with twin-piston caliper from Brembo |
| Wheels | 17-inch MFR forged magnesium wheels |
| Tires | Michelin 17-inch tires in slick and wet options |
| Weight | 346 pounds |
2017 Movistar Yamaha MotoGP Team Presentation appeared first on Motorcycle.com.
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