Yamaha confirm Crescent WSB switch with Lowes and Guintoli

Yamaha have confirmed that they will return to the World Superbike championship in 2016, teaming up with sponsor PATA, British team Crescent, and former British and World champions Alex Lowes and Sylvain Guintoli.

First reported by MCN last month, the deal will see Crescent break ties with Suzuki after decades with the Hammatsu manufacturer, instead linking up with the new R1 machine that Josh Brookes is taking to domination in the MCE British Superbike championship.

Brit Lowes will remain with the team, rewarded after a difficult two years on the old GSX-R1000, while Sylvain Guintoli makes the move from Ten Kate Honda, bringing their title sponsor, Italian snack food manufacturer Pata, with him.

“This is a very exciting moment for us as we eagerly wait to return to the top level of Superbike competition next year after an absence of four years,” commented Yamaha Motor Europe Chief Operating Officer, Eric De Seynes.

“Having re-written the Supersport rule book and changed the game with the new YZF-R1, directly developed from Yamaha MotoGP technology, it was clear we would need to return to the World Superbike Championship to show the full potential of our new Superbike machine.

“We took one year to grow experience with the new R1 in many other championships where the bike has shown its potential already, with the amazing 8H of Suzuka victory and the very positive results that our official teams are gathering all around Europe.

“Now we are ready to be back on the world stage and I am happy we have found in Crescent the same values of professionalism, engineering detail and passion for victory we share.”

For the full story on the new deal, see today Wednesday 23^rd September’s Motorcycle News.