WORLD NEWS
YAMAHA RETURNS TO AFRICAN ROOTS WITH NEW TÉNÉRÉ WORLD RAID RALLY PROGRAM
COURTESY OF YAMAHA
Yamaha Motor Europe is pleased to announce that the all-new Yamaha Ténéré World Raid Team will contest the Africa Eco Race , which will run from Monaco to the legendary finish in Dakar , Senegal from October 15 - 30 .
Yamaha has a long and storied history racing in Africa , starting in 1979 with victory for Cyril Neveu in the first ever running of the Paris Dakar Rally . Contesting the Africa Eco Race brings the brand full circle , returning them to the spiritual home of the Ténéré , and confirming the new approach , which focuses on reconnecting Yamaha ' s Rally program with the genuine spirit of adventure and with products that customers can also enjoy .
Yamaha ' s goal in approaching a 12 stage African rally with a production machine is to prove the exceptional DNA of the new Ténéré World Raid , but also to prepare an extensive customer program , which aims to support the racing spirit of Ténéré customers participating in national activities right up to international long distance Rally Raid events . Discovering your own limits , together with new horizons and people along the route , is the target of the Africa Eco Race challenge .
The new Rally program will also mark the start of a partnership with Riders for Health , a very special sponsor that Yamaha is proud to host on the Ténéré World Raid Team to raise awareness of the tremendous work carried out by the charity supplying , managing and maintaining motorcycles for health-focused operations in Africa .
The Yamaha Ténéré World Raid Team will be run on behalf of Yamaha by Rebel X Sports under the direction of Team Manager , and experienced Rally Raid campaigner , Manuel Lucchese . Italian Alessandro Botturi , winner of the previous two editions of the race , and Spaniard Pol Tarres will contest the 14th edition of the rally aboard a race version of the recently launched Ténéré 700 World Raid .
Botturi and Tarres will take on this unique challenge aboard bikes based on the newly launched Ténéré 700 World Raid but further developed by Yamaha with the addition of specialized GYTR parts , such as a larger fuel tank
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