Yamaha and Ricci Racing now on different roads

On 8th of October 2010 the news shocked the motorcycle manufacturing companies when Yamaha Motor Europe and Ricci Racing Team decided to mutually end the fruitful collaboration between them and move forward to there independent path.

The team owner Ilario Ricci and his Italian crew will now attempt new challenges for 2011 FIM MX-GP World Championship.

Talking about the close association of the two companies, Ricci Racing and Yamaha have experienced good time together with notable success. Under the control and expertise of Ricci the team have enjoyed a close and positive association with Yamaha and YRRD (Yamaha Rinaldi Research and Development). The commendable success of this association can be marked by the runner-up position in the 2005 MX2-GP category with YZ250F technology steered by the late Andrew McFarlane and the sampling of their very first MX1-GP success with the YZ450FM and Ken De Dycker with his double moto triumph in Germany. These occasions simply gives the idea of the heights achieved by these organisations by working in collaboration. Ricci has also experienced a lot of stand up applaud with this association.
 
“It was a difficult decision because we have been with Yamaha for a long time but we now have something new to try in Grand Prix racing,” said Ricci, he also added, “I must give thanks to Yamaha, Michele Rinaldi and his YRRD technicians and racing staff. We created some very good memories in the last fourteen years.”

YRRD Principal Michele Rinaldi commented that, “We were able to count on excellent support and a good collaboration with Ilario and his team; he will try something new and of course we respect that,” he also added, “I would like to give my heartfelt thanks to Ricci Racing for what they have done for Yamaha and the assistance they have given in the development of our motorcycles.”

"After an extended and successful partnership for many years between Yamaha and Ilario Ricci, we will go different directions for the future,” said Laurens Klein Koerkamp, Racing Manager Yamaha Motor Europe. “It is a sad feeling after working closely for such a long time but the GP results with the wins and podiums his team have achieved will always remain a part of Yamaha's history in Motocross. Yamaha wishes Ilario all the best with new challenges in a different setting.”