Yamaha Racing Heritage Membership Mugello Trip [TZ350 Celebration]

Based final yr, the Yamaha Racing Heritage Membership has already established itself as a significant classic bike group. The membership took to Mugello Circuit final month to rejoice the fiftieth anniversary of the TZ350 manufacturing racer—a extremely profitable liquid-cooled, two-stroke twin primarily based on Jarno Saarinen’s YZ634 GP bike.

Teaming up with the Yamaha Racing Expertise, the Yamaha Racing Heritage Membership introduced collectively present bike racing superstars, together with legendary riders of the previous and on a regular basis bike riders.

Representing the trendy period have been 2021 Superbike World Champion Toprak Razgatlıoğlu, 2020 Supersport World Champion Andrea Locatelli, 2012 and 2022 Supersport World Champion Dominique Aegerter, 2020 Moto2 World Champion Remy Gardner, 2022 British Superbike Champion Bradley Ray, and 2017 Endurance World Champion Niccolò Canepa.

These riders took to the observe on historic GP machines, together with Eddie Lawson’s 1986 FIM 500cc World Championship-winning YZR500 0W81, Freddie Spencer’s 1993 YZR500, and Christian Sarron’s 1978 TZ750. Replicas of the two-time FIM Components 750 World Championship-winning YZR750 OW31 have been additionally on the observe. Steve Baker rode the OW31 to a title in 1977, and Johnny Cecotto achieved the feat the next yr.

This spectacular array of latest riders was joined by 1975 FIM 350cc World Champion and 1978 FIM Components 750 World Champion Johnny Cecotto, and 1983 and 1986 FIM 250cc World Champion Carlos Lavado. The pair of Venezuelan riders threw down some laps on the latest-spec Yamaha YZF-R1M.

“What an occasion!”  Yamaha Motor Europe
 Director Advertising & Motorsport Palo Pavesio exclaimed. “It’s the first time we now have invited members of the YRHC to the YRE, and it turned out to be a really memorable second. I’ve hardly ever seen so many smiling faces, and to see the YRHC members get to experience on observe alongside Johnny and Carlos, in addition to our right this moment stars from WorldSBK and EWC.”

“It was unbelievable to see the youthful riders check out our legendary two-stroke bikes, and for Carlos and Johnny to get the prospect to experience the R1M,” Pavesio continued. “It was an exquisite occasion that introduced collectively the previous and current of Yamaha to rejoice the fiftieth anniversary of the TZ alongside the twenty fifth anniversary of the R1, and I believe it was one thing extraordinary for the YRHC members to expertise. Know-how could have moved on quite a bit, however racers share an analogous ardour regardless of the period they’re from, and it was nice to see that shared with the YRE prospects and YRHC members over the 2 unforgettable days in Mugello.”

In its 25 years on world championship circuits, the Yamaha YZR-R1 has two FIM Superbike World Championships (2009 with Ben Spies and 2021 with Razgatlıoğlu) and 4 Suzuki 8 Hours wins.

Images by Graeme Brown, Matteo Lepri, and Tino Martino

Yamaha Racing Heritage Membership Mugello Trip Picture Gallery