Paul Denning, director of the Yamaha Superbike team, confirmed in an interview with the German edition of Motorsport.com that there will not be a new R1 homologated for the 2023 season of the factory derivative world championship. Since the Iwata’s return as an official Superbike team in 2016, the R1 has improved step by step. The current homologation dates back to the 2020 season and since then there have been no changes to the base of the bike.
In these moments, the main discussion of the team is the orientation of the market to follow with the bike. possibly, the R1 will head towards a more radical path for medium-term races and thus give more freedom to the teams.
What is the future of the Yamaha R1 in Superbike?
Yamaha fans’ desire to see a new R1 will not come true. “I don’t think so,” said Paul Denning to Motorsport.com. “The R1 is an important model in the Yamaha range and the future of this model is currently being discussed.”
“The goal is to define how R1 will develop and what role it should play as a product. It should be clarified whether it has to become a bike with a clear focus on the track or if it has to be a bike that focuses its use on the road ”.
Paul Denning, Toprak Razgatlioglu, Pata Yamaha WorldSBK
Photo by: Gold and Goose / Motorsport Images
Toprak Razgatlioglu’s victories demonstrate the potential of the Yamaha R1
“The production cycle of the R1 is quite long, but it continues to be a very competitive bike. I’m a bit biased, of course, but in my opinion it continues to be the best bike for track days, ”said Denning. “The character of the engine and the cornering pace are fantastic. The bike is very easy to ride and has a very loyal fan base ”.
But even without a new R1, the team assures that there will be something new for Yamaha fans: “I think the offer of performance parts or limited editions will increase. This offer is aimed at customers who want to feel closer to the Toprak bike ”.
Reigning world champion Toprak Razgatlioglu is currently third in the overall standings with 260 points, behind championship leader Alvaro Bautista, with 298 points, and Jonathan Rea, second with 267 points.
Ducati is expected to present a revised version of the Panigale V4R in the fall, while Kawasaki is expected to do so shortly, as Rea was promised an improvement to the ZX-10RR when he renewed his contract.
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