The first event of the Dakar 2023 has just taken place with this almost laconic press release from Yamaha which nevertheless announces a historic fact: the Iwata brand, which has so far been in all editions of this great rally-raid classic, to the point of almost inventing the discipline, will not be on the starting line of the next edition. No motorcycle bearing the three tuning forks will officially be in the running while the spirit and the Ténéré brand are still enjoying success, and in particular with the latest opus 700. But listening to the manufacturer's pundits, the Dakar belongs to the world before...
It's a presence we've become accustomed to since 1979 and which we will have to do without. It is also a name that has marked the winners of the event. But it is like this: between the Dakar Rally et Yamaha , it's all over, at least with two wheels. The Japanese brand announces its definitive withdrawal from the Dakar Rally and the World Cross-Country Rally Championship, specifying that the philosophy of this type of race does not correspond to the interests of its customers in the off-road segment. A market where the Iwata brand offers models like the Tenére 700, a great success on the market.
Yamaha was the only brand to have remained faithful to each edition of the Dakar Rally since its creation. French Cyril Neveu won the victory aboard a Yamaha XT500 during the first edition in 1979, then a second victory a year later. The legend of the Dakar Stephane Peterhansel scored a record six victories for Yamaha in the 1990s, and the Italian Ed Orioli added to Yamaha's success in Africa with a victory in the 1997 edition.
In 2015, Yamaha presented its new WR450F Rally and created the official Monster Energy Yamaha Rally Team, a structure which has since unsuccessfully pursued victory on the Dakar, a victory which escaped the hands ofAdrien van Beveren in 2018, a few kilometers from the finish line. In this latest edition of 2022, the French driver reached the fourth final position, while his teammate Andrew Short finished in eighth place.
After 44 Dakar rallies behind them, Yamaha has therefore decided to stop there. The firm will not participate in the rest of the events that make up the annual calendar of the Cross-Country Rally World Championship, although they will support drivers who wish to race the Dakar with their ATV YXZ1000R, which has already participated in the 2021 and 2022 editions of the Dakar Rally, finishing 2nd and 6th. On two wheels, as Yamaha explains “ the focus will change to meet the changing requirements of customers in the off-road sector, taking into account the future introduction of the new Ténéré World Raid ».
“The world in which the Dakar exists has changed considerably”
Eric de Seynes, Director of Yamaha MotorEurope, said a few words to try to shed light on this unexpected decision: “ Yamaha has a long history in the Dakar Rally, which began in 1979 during the first edition and has continued uninterrupted until today. It is also an event that fascinates me personally, having participated in it twice and for many years in close collaboration with Jean-Claude Olivier, who not only raced and won stages of the Dakar, but also oversaw Yamaha's most successful pioneering period at the event ».
« However », Continues de Seynes, who are " While the Dakar Rally has mostly managed to stay close to its roots, even as it has left its spiritual home in Africa, the world in which it exists has changed considerably. Our off-road customers now have different expectations and are looking for different products, and we need to satisfy them if we want to stay connected. This is why we have decided to end our long history on two wheels in the Dakar Rally and the FIM Cross-Country Rallies World Championship. At the same time as we reinforce our commitment to racing the Dakar on four wheels with the Yamaha YXZ1000R SSV ».
Even if Yamaha will not continue to race either the Dakar or the World Cross-Country Rally Championship, the Japanese manufacturer will continue to build on its successful Ténéré 700 saga. taking it in a direction that allows our customers to rediscover the more adventurous side of rallying »concludes the boss of Yamaha Motor Europe.
