PETRONAS Yamaha Sepang Racing Team is excited to start its third season in the MotoGP World Championship campaign with riders Franco Morbidelli and Valentino Rossi showcasing their 2021 Yamaha YZR-M1 through a virtual launch today.
Franco and Valentino were introduced by Team Principal, Razlan Razali, with further insight imparted by Team Director, Johan Stigefelt and Team Manager, Wilco Zeelenberg. Team owner, Sepang International Circuit and title Partner PETRONAS were also represented in the online launch.
After a stellar second season in 2020, where the team and rider Franco Morbidelli finished the year as vice champions in their respective championships, PETRONAS Yamaha Sepang Racing Team is eager to continue its extraordinary story of success as the first-ever Malaysian team in MotoGP.
In 2019 the team became Top Independent Team, finishing fourth in the overall team standings, with rider Fabio Quartararo taking the Rookie of the Year title and Top Independent Rider.
Over the course of last year the team was on the top step of the podium six times as well as leading the standings for most of the year before finishing the season as the Top Independent Team – and second in the overall standings – with Franco Vice Champion as well as Top Independent Rider.
2021 sees Franco joined by Greatest Of All Time rider Valentino Rossi who will add an extra dimension of championship winning knowledge and potential to the squad. Featuring an updated look with the latest PETRONAS branding, the team’s Yamaha YZR-M1 will be in Factory-spec for Valentino and A-spec Plus for Franco.
2021 also marks the third year of PETRONAS as the team’s title partner. The impressive results achieved by the team over the past two seasons are a testament to the Malaysian energy company’s Fluid Technology Solutions that powered PYSRT to its six MotoGP wins in 2020.
The season unveil also included focus on PETRONAS Sprinta Racing with words from Moto2 riders Xavi Vierge and Jake Dixon as well as John McPhee and Darryn Binder for Moto3.