The Yamaha Classic Racing Team Prepares For Its Final Season

The Yamaha Classic Racing Team Prepares For Its Final Season

Yamaha Classic Racing Team (YCRT) founder Ferry Brouwer has announced that 2013 will be the final season for the unique team of legendary racing bikes and riders from Yamaha’s golden era. After nearly a decade of activity the time has come for Ferry to retire from the project.

Born out of a strong belief by both Ferry and Yamaha that the iconic machines of the past should not just be on display but also play a part in keeping Grand Prix history alive by running on track, the last ten years has seen the team entertain thousands of racing fans both modern and historical. Unique Yamaha machines such as the 125 cc RA31A and 250 cc RD05A works four cylinders of 1968, the 750 – two stroke (OW31), the 1979 GP500 championship winning YZR500 and numerous other legendary bikes were ridden from the Isle of Man TT to Spa Francorchamps and countless other classic events by living legends. Riders including Giacomo Agostini, Steve Baker ,Phil Read, Dieter Braun, Michelle Duff, Pentti Korhonen, Carlos Lavado, Rodney Gould, Chas Mortimer, Jos Schurgers, Svend Andersson, Akiyasu Motohashi, Tommy Robb, Kel Carruthers, and not to forget Kent Andersson have all taken to the tracks on their glorious machines. The team and riders were also a key element in Yamaha’s celebration of 50 years of Grand Prix racing in 2011, putting on a special display at the Assen TT for the MotoGP fans.

Ferry’s relationship with Yamaha goes back many years to the 1960s as a mechanic for the Japanese manufacturer’s first Grand Prix World Champion, Phil Read and the legendary Jarno Saarinen. He remained a close part of Yamaha’s early racing days before moving on to found and grow Arai Helmet Europe. He was the organizer of the 1998 Centennial event at the Assen circuit, and from organizing that came with the idea to create a running classic team for demonstration purposes. This team grew and changed, becoming more and more Yamaha until by 2004 it had become purely Yamaha and shortly after resulted in a program officially supported by Yamaha Motor Europe and the head office in Japan. The success of the team, the incredible machines and the participation of the legends who rode them originally owes to the dedication of Ferry and his close relationship to Yamaha.

Those wishing to see the team in action one last time can catch them at various events during the coming year, with the farewell event being at this year’s Classic TT on the Isle of Man from the 23rd to 26th August. A number of the special machines from the team are under discussion to be taken over by Yamaha Motor Co., Ltd in Japan to become part of their historic collection.