PETRONAS AND SEPANG INTERNATIONAL CIRCUIT TAKE ON MOTOGP
Silverstone, United Kingdom, 24th August 2018 – Sepang International Circuit (SIC) is delighted to announce they will enter the premier MotoGP class with Malaysia’s oil and gas multinational, PETRONAS as the official Title Partner of the PETRONAS Yamaha Sepang Racing Team; making it the first full-fledged Malaysian outfit in the world championship. The agreement takes effect in 2019 and will remain until the end of 2021.
The new outfit is also pleased to officially confirm the signing of MotoGP rookie Franco Morbidelli and Moto2 rider Fabio Quartararo. Both riders are set to contest on board Yamaha YZR-M1 machines with prominent PETRONAS branding, following an agreement between SIC and Yamaha Motor Co., Ltd.
The announcement was made at a press conference at the British Grand Prix attended by YB Syed Saddiq Syed Abdul Rahman, Malaysia’s Minister of Youth and Sports; Tan Sri Azman Yahya, Chairman, Sepang International Circuit; Tan Sri Wan Zulkiflee Wan Ariffin, President and Group CEO PETRONAS; Dato Razlan Razali, CEO Sepang International Circuit; Carmello Ezpeleta, CEO Dorna; Kouichi Tsuji, General Manager Motorsports Development Division, Yamaha Motor Co., Ltd and Lin Jarvis, Managing Director, Yamaha Motor Racing Srl.
Through this partnership, PETRONAS will leverage on MotoGP to advance its technology in the field of motorcycle lubricants, seamlessly integrating its Fluid Technology Solutions™ into the team’s day-to-day operations. This mirrors the Company’s successful relationship with Mercedes AMG PETRONAS Motorsport, winner of four consecutive Formula One Constructors World Championships.
The collaboration is also expected to enhance PETRONAS’ global brand presence through MotoGP, which currently attracts 400 million viewers worldwide and more than 22 million followers on its social media platforms.
Additionally, PETRONAS and SIC complete a full team line-up via this project, having already established PETRONAS Sprinta Racing in the intermediate Moto2 and entry-level Moto3 class, providing a sustainable pipeline for talents to progress in the world championships.
YB Syed Saddiq Syed Abdul Rahman, Malaysia Minister of Youth and Sports
“I’m happy to witness this historic event which will pave a new and bright future for Malaysian motorsports. It has been proven that sports have the power to unite a nation and I believe with this initiative from PETRONAS and Sepang International Circuit, we will not only achieve brilliance on the track but also unity among fans regardless of race, religion and colour. We have seen a Malaysian ride in the MotoGP class this season and with a Malaysian team on the grid next season, there will be plenty to cheer about for Malaysia.”
Tan Sri Wan Zulkiflee Wan Ariffin, President & Group CEO PETRONAS
“PETRONAS is delighted to be the title partner for this new MotoGP team. I would also like to thank DORNA for their support in turning this project into a reality today, and we look forward to working very closely with Sepang International Circuit (SIC) and Yamaha Motor Co. Through this collaboration, PETRONAS now has another platform to push forward technology innovation, in the field of fuel and lubricants for motorcycles. We believe this is the perfect research and development avenue in our quest to offer innovative products and solutions to our customers. We aim to contribute significantly to the team with our Fluids Technology Solutions (FTS) – developing and testing customized product blends which will boost the team’s competitive edge. Ultimately, our aim is to bring efficient, high performance fuel and lubricants, from “track to road” for our valued customers.”
Tan Sri Azman Yahya, Chairman, Sepang International Circuit
“It has been a worthwhile journey for SIC to witness the realisation of our own team in the premier class today. We at SIC not only strive to become the best venue for motorsports but also to take the lead in developing motorsports in Malaysia. After our successful venture in the Moto3 class in previous years, the pathway is now complete for grooming a rider from Moto3 up until the MotoGP class. This pathway is crucial to our aim of developing talents, for we believe that a stable platform to race will create a bigger pool of aspiring riders in the future.”
Kouichi Tsuji, General Manager Motorsports Development Division, Yamaha Motor Co., Ltd
“We are delighted to start this new adventure with Sepang International Circuit (SIC) and PETRONAS – who are already big names in the racing industry. Yamaha will be providing the MotoGP Team with YZR-M1s in the premier class for multiple seasons. By entering this collaboration, we at Yamaha Motor not only promise to fully support the team and its young and exciting rider line-up, but we’ll also be contributing to SIC’s plans to help the Malaysian and Asian motorsports industry flourish – which is in line with our corporate mission to expand motorcycle sports. Yamaha is very fortunate to have such an ambitious team, and young highly talented riders Franco Morbidelli and Fabio Quartararo joining the Yamaha Family. I’m sure that we will all create a strong bond and that our combined efforts will soon result in the Team competitively challenging in the premier class.”
