The 3 Yamaha R2021 bLU cRU European Cup officially kicked off with pre-season testing at the Misano World Circuit Marco Simoncelli (May 23-24), where the 25 promising young talents got a first look at their Yamaha R3 motorcycles and have received their racing kits for the season.
Designed to provide a journey from national racing to international competition, the Yamaha R3 bLU cRU European Cup is a new series open to riders aged 12 to 20. The championship will be contested over six rounds, with two races per weekend, in support of the FIM Superbike World Championship.
On the first day in Misano, riders received their KYT helmets, Gaerne boots and Gimoto leathers, and received a welcome briefing to introduce them to the series. The youngsters were also presented with their Yamaha R3 machines, which they would ride for the first time on the second day.
Before starting, the riders participated in a technical workshop on the morning of the second day, to better understand how to set up and work with their motorcycles, while attending a rider briefing.
The on-track action was split into six 20-minute sessions, with constantly changing conditions meaning competitors were able to experience riding the Pirelli slick and wet tires. After a wet first session, the track continued to dry until the rain returned before the fifth session, which had to be cancelled, before drying again for the final outing before the 2021 campaign.
The young riders will return to the Italian venue from June 11-12 for the opening round of the season, where they will compete to become the first winners of the Yamaha R3 bLU cRU European Cup. In addition to the 25 permanent runners, youngsters still have the opportunity to join the series in various rounds as wildcards after the first match in Misano.
Alberto Barozzi, Yamaha Motor Europe bLU cRU Racing Manager: “ Exciting! A simple word that perfectly describes the great atmosphere that was created during this first official test. We've already gotten to know all the bLU cRU riders from the three Yamaha R3 bLU cRU European Cup Digital Masterclass sessions, but meeting them all live was awesome. During the two intensive days in Misano, the reaction was perfect, and they immediately integrated the bLU cRU spirit and its philosophy of respect. In terms of performance, the level that everyone showed on the track was very encouraging, given their young age and limited experience. Of course, they can continue to improve under our leadership. Thank you to all the parents who followed the runners during the two days, they all showed great attention and passion to support them in the right way. The staff had a very big task to prepare everything before this first meeting, they did a great job and everything went very well. A personal thank you to the JIR organization, to all the partners who were able to be there: Pirelli, Sutter, Ohlins, Gimoto, and to everyone who supported this new project, including Pata, NL and Dorna, who all brought together to support the new generation of runners. We now look forward to the first round in Misano to see our bLU cRU riders in competition and in the WorldSBK paddock. »
