Yamaha's support for its riders blue cRU is also seen in communication, as shown by the light shed on Andy Verdoïa by the site Yamaha-Racing.com.
Andy Verdoïa rookie Yamaha bLU cRU WorldSSP in 2020
It was a great debut season in the FIM Supersport 300 World Championship for Yamaha bLU cRU star Andy Verdoïa, who finished as the highest-ranked rookie with a fourth place in the 2019 drivers' championship. Verdoïa was also the winner of the Yamaha R3 bLU cRU Challenge, which allowed him to move up a category and ride with the all-new Yamaha bLU cRU WorldSSP by MS Racing team.
The Nice native impressed with his consistency, finishing in the top 10 in eight of the nine rounds, regularly fighting for victories and reaching the podium at Misano and Donington Park. Although he is only 17 years old, Verdoïa not only rides with maturity, but has shown during his bLU cRU training that he is always eager to learn and improve.
Alongside his racing activities last year, Verdoïa was invited to the Yamaha VR46 Master Camp event, receiving training and guidance from some of Yamaha's top professional riders, including Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP legend, Valentino Rossi .
Speaking about his 2019 season, Verdoïa explained his approach: “I think I was consistent last year because I was training not only on the bike but also in the gym, cycling and other activities. On top of that, I've been working closely with the bLU cRU coaching team to learn more, and getting opportunities like the VR46 Master Camp and the Yamaha bLU cRU Masterclass is super important.
Being with Yamaha professionals at the Yamaha bLU cRU Masterclass and then at the VR46 Master Camp event in Tavullia last year really helped me a lot, especially the Master Camp as it took place at the start of the championship. You understand what it takes to be a professional driver at world championship level, not just on the track but in all aspects. After that, I felt my riding improved as well as my consistency on the bike. »
During last season, Verdoïa always kept WorldSSP in mind in 2020 and therefore started testing the Yamaha R6 600cc at the beginning of the year. This allowed him to become more comfortable on the bike, adapt his riding style and ensure he was best prepared to take the next step.
“Very early last season I already knew that my goal was to move up to 600 for this year and, thanks to the expansion of the bLU cRU Yamaha project in 2020, I was lucky enough to be able to do just that”, said Verdoïa. “Obviously you have to train harder because you can't ride the same way as you would with the 300. My Yamaha bLU cRU teammate Galang [Hendra Pratama] helped me a lot too, because he is more aggressive on the bike, which is what you need when you're on the R6. It's good too because we're able to share data and learn from each other, which helps find those extra few tenths of a second. »
Over the winter, in preparation for her WorldSSP debut, Verdoïa continued to intensify her training, working with a personal trainer on her fitness and with the bLU cRU coaching staff in her district. The young Frenchman made the most of the Yamaha bLU cRU program, which not only provided him with training goals through the coaching team, but also gave him access to professional advice and support from Yamaha bLU cRU ambassadors, such as WorldSBK rider Michael van der Mark, and the experienced GMT94 Yamaha WorldSSP team.
“Because you're not on the bike every week during the winter, you need to make sure you're still fit and healthy when you're not riding”, continued Verdoïa. “I took part in five tests on the 600, as well as two with the World Supersport Championship bike. It wasn't too hard to get up to speed, but the last tenth is hard to come by. That's why it's great to have the support of the bLU cRU coaching staff as well as that of my personal trainer Sébastien Gimbert. »
It was Verdoïa's first time racing at Philip Island, so not only was he experiencing a WorldSSP racing weekend, on a new bike, but he was also doing it in an unfamiliar location. How did this change his approach?
“Me, Galang and bLU cRU coach Joey Litjens ran the track together several times, going through every corner step by step. You have to remember that this was also the team's first race, so we all learned together and took advice from the experienced Yamaha GMT94 team. It’s obviously totally different from what you see on TV! It was really important to compare the data between me and my teammate. You can't just try to do it alone, it's a team effort. »
“The track itself is not very difficult to walk”, Verdoïa said of the 4,445-kilometer Grand Prix circuit which has 12 turns. “It's not so easy to find a few extra tenths, especially at the end of the lap. It's quite fast and smooth, so if you lose a little in a corner it can quickly cost you a few tenths over the next few corners. »
After further improving his time in qualifying, Verdoïa took advantage of a measured race to finish 15th and claim his first WorldSSP point.
“My first goal for this season was to score a point, so to achieve that in the first round, on a track I had never seen before, no matter the race, it was great for me, for the team Yamaha and the entire bLU cRU program. I'm still going to learn the bike throughout this season, so it's a good starting point and, more importantly, we reached the finish without any problems. Like I said, being fast isn't too difficult, but being really fast over an entire race is a difficult task. »
“Now is the time to improve steadily. I don't have any big goals this season, but I want to be among the first as soon as possible. The competition at this level is very tough, but I hope we can get into the top 10 sometimes. I have to improve first, then we will try to fight for good results.”
Follow the 2020 WorldSSP season of Yamaha bLU cRU WorldSSP by MS Racing rider Andy Verdoïa on yamaha-racing.com, and stay up to date via its Instagram , his page Facebook et Twitter .
