While the legendary Doctor Rossi has left Yamaha, a young, strong and ambitious Texan will take his place in 2011. Yamaha made it official (okay, it wasn’t much of a surprise) that MotoGP rookie Ben Spies will join the factory Yamaha team next year alongside current points leader Jorge Lorenzo. Lin Jarvis, Managing Director of Yamaha Motor Racing, congratulates Ben in the photo above. Here is the Yamaha press release.
Yamaha Motor Co., Ltd is delighted to announce that current Yamaha Tech 3 rider Ben Spies will move to the Factory Team for the 2011 MotoGP season.
The 26-year-old American, who won the World Superbike Championship with Yamaha in 2009, is enjoying an impressive first season in MotoGP. He is currently the leading rookie and the top satellite rider, lying seventh in the championship.
“We’re delighted that Ben will join the Factory Team for next season,” said Lin Jarvis, Managing Director of Yamaha Motor Racing. “Ben has shown great promise in his first ten MotoGP races. He has learnt rapidly and recorded strong results, including a well-deserved podium finish at Silverstone – impressive for someone in their first full season.
“We believe that Ben will be a future title contender and that he will be a good fit with our team. His mission next year will be to continue learning, consistently challenge for podium places and try to win some races. I would like to take this opportunity to thank Herve Poncharal and the Tech 3 Team for taking care of Ben this season and for giving him such good training for the years ahead. I hope that he will repay them by getting some more podium results in the second half of this season and helping them to secure top satellite team status at the end of this year.”
Spies added “My first year in MotoGP has been a great learning curve and for that I have to thank Herve Poncharal, all the team at Tech 3 and especially my American mechanics who have stuck by me throughout this great journey so far. Having previously been to only four of the ten tracks to date, I have to be pleased with where I am and with having achieved my first podium so soon. I’m especially pleased that Yamaha have recognized the potential in me and given me the opportunity to step up to the Factory Team so early in my GP career. I believe that by working closely with the Yamaha staff and my mechanics we will be able to help develop the M1 and make the next step of challenging for regular podiums, followed by future championships.”
Beware Lorenzo, Pedrosa and Rossi, here comes Spies, all he needed was a factory ride to equalize the competition. This guy is unbelivable, awesome riding skills, smooth but very agressive and tons of talent!!
Ben is a class act. Modest, focused and not one to make excuses when things don’t go his way.
GO-BEN!!! Go get you that MotoGP World Champion title.
I’d love to see Ben and Nicki Hayden going for the win each week!!! Don’t forget Colin Edwards sneaking in htere too!
Go USA!
We’re all rooting for you Ben. Nice to have another North American charging to the front in MotoGP… and he’s a likeable guy… serious and focused but likeable. Just never forget from where you came and you’ll still have lots of fans when you’re #1.
Now if he were just a Canadian, that would give me one more thing to cheer him on for.
(any rich Americans want to build a track in Western Canada? We’re dying up here.)
Ben’s already a top 3 or 4 talent. On the faster factory bike next year, and with more familiarity with the tracks, don’t be surprised to see him in the top 3 in points next year.
Rock on!
GO BEN!!!