YAMAHA ANNOUNCES TWO YEAR MOTOGP PROGRAM WITH POL ESPARGARÓ Gerno di Lesmo (Milan, Italy), 2nd August 2013 Yamaha Motor Co., Ltd is delighted to be able to announce that it has concluded a two-year agreement with current Spanish Moto2 rider Pol Espargaró. As a result of this contract the 22-year-old will make his MotoGP debut in 2014 with the Monster Yamaha Tech3 Team and will ride the Yamaha YZR-M1. Pol Espargaró is enjoying his third season as a key protagonist in the Moto2 Class and is currently lying second in the Championship standings. POL ESPARGARÓ VILLÁ – Biography & Racing Career Born in Granollers (Spain) on 10th June 1991. Pol Espargaró made his World Championship debut in 2006, riding seven races in total, the first of which at Catalunya made him the youngest ever points scorer in a Grand Prix with 13th place. That year he was also crowned Spanish National 125 Champion, second youngest ever behind his brother Aleix. Pol’s first full season in 2007 delivered a podium, a series of strong results and the Rookie of the Year award. The 2008 campaign was one which brought further impressive results but was also marked by a collarbone injury, he went on to take a first victory in 2009 at Indianapolis and place fourth overall in the standings. In 2010, Pol Espargaró was involved in a three-way season-long battle for the title with eventual winner Marc Márquez and runner-up Nico Terol, and in 2011 he stepped up to Moto2. Two podiums and a respectable 13th overall in the final standings laid the foundations for a promising season in 2012, for which Espargaró joined the Pons Racing team and made a huge impact. Tough battles, four wins, eight pole positions and a few controversies led to him taking runner-up spot to Márquez, making him the favorite for the 2013 title, for which he will fight with the same team. This year, after a complicated start of the season, he arrives at the middle second overall with three victories and five podium appearances. More, from a press release issued by Monster Yamaha Tech 3: Smith and Espargaro form young and talented Monster Yamaha Tech 3 line-up for 2014 The Monster Yamaha Tech 3 Team is delighted to confirm that Bradley Smith and Pol Espargaro will form a young and exciting line-up for the French-based squad in the 2014 MotoGP World Championship. British rider Smith has shown tremendous pace and promise in his rookie MotoGP campaign in 2013 and at the halfway stage of the season is only 32-points outside of the top six in the overall rankings. Smith has adapted quickly to Yamaha’s prototype YZR-M1 machine and he has scored six top 10 finishes in nine races so far, including impressive rides into the top six in Catalunya and Sachsenring. The 22-year-old has demonstrated great professionalism and willingness to learn in the initial stage of his MotoGP career and the Monster Yamaha Tech 3 Team is looking forward to helping Smith progress and follow in the footsteps of compatriot Cal Crutchlow, who has established himself as a consistent podium challenger under the guidance of Herve Poncharal’s squad. The Monster Yamaha Tech 3 Team is also thrilled to welcome highly rated Spaniard Espargaro for 2014. The 22-year-old is currently showing why he has emerged as one of the brightest young talents in the World Championship, with three victories in eight races keeping him firmly in the hunt for the 2013 Moto2 crown. Espargaro made his World Championship debut in the 125cc category at his home round in Barcelona back in 2006 and he has gone onto to win 12 races and claim 27 other podium finishes. Immensely popular as well as fast, the Monster Yamaha Tech 3 Team is looking forward to helping Espargaro showcase his skills on the biggest stage in world motorcycle racing next season. Today’s announcement further reaffirms the Monster Yamaha Tech 3 squad’s commitment to developing and nurturing fast talent in MotoGP.