Gerloff joins PETRONAS Yamaha Sepang Racing Team in Assen

Garrett Gerloff to make PYSRT debut as stand-in for Franco Morbidelli

PETRONAS Yamaha Sepang Racing Team will welcome American Garrett Gerloff to the squad for this weekend’s DutchGP in Assen as a stand-in for the injured Franco Morbidelli.

Franco sustained an injury to his left knee yesterday and is currently undergoing medical assessment and treatment. 25 year-old Gerloff is currently a GRT Yamaha WorldSBK Team rider. This will be Gerloff’s first time in Assen but he has previously ridden the Yamaha YZR-M1 when he substituted for Valentino Rossi at the Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP Team in the European GP practice sessions at Valencia last year.

Razlan Razali, Team Principal, PETRONAS Yamaha Sepang Racing Team

Everyone has had to move very quickly after the news late yesterday that Franco would not be able to race this weekend and we give our thanks to Yamaha for facilitating this. We’re very excited to welcome Garrett to the team this weekend and realise that it’s a tough task to come in at late notice but we are confident that he will be able to do a good job. We wish Franco all the best for his recovery and hope to welcome him back to the track after the summer break.

Garrett Gerloff, PETRONAS Yamaha Sepang Racing Team

I’m excited for the opportunity ahead, I’m not someone who runs away from a challenge, so I’m ready to get to the track. It’ll be a new circuit for me, I like trying new tracks, it looks fun, fast and flowing, and really suits my riding style. I’m looking forward to jumping on the Yamaha M1 again and twisting the throttle. We’ll see how things go, but I feel good and would like to thank Yamaha and the team for considering me. It won’t be easy, but I’m going to give it my best shot!

More, from a press release issued by Yamaha Racing:

Gerloff to Replace Injured Morbidelli at PETRONAS Yamaha SRT at Dutch TT

GRT Yamaha WorldSBK Team’s Garrett Gerloff will make his MotoGP race debut this weekend at TT Circuit Assen, riding for PETRONAS Yamaha Sepang Racing Team at the Dutch TT in place of the injured Franco Morbidelli.

With Morbidelli sustaining a knee injury during training on Tuesday, Gerloff was called up to race at the Dutch round, as the American gets another chance to ride the Yamaha YZR-M1, having previously substituted for Valentino Rossi at the Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP Team in the European GP practice sessions at Valencia last year.

The Texan has impressed throughout his FIM Superbike World Championship career so far and currently lies sixth in the riders’ standings, while he’s been a consistent front-runner throughout the opening three rounds.

Pata Yamaha with Brixx WorldSBK’s Toprak Razgatlıoğlu was also in the running to replace Morbidelli at Assen but turned down the opportunity in favour of remaining focused on his main aim in 2021, challenging for the FIM Superbike World Championship crown. The Turkish rider currently lies second in the championship standings and just 20 points off the top spot going into the next round at Donington Park round on 2-4 July.

After winning two MotoAmerica Supersport championship titles in 2016 and 2017, Gerloff further confirmed his potential with a third-place finish in the 2019 MotoAmerica Superbike championship. That saw the 25-year-old called up to the GRT Yamaha squad in WorldSBK, where he became a rookie sensation, scoring podiums at Barcelona and Estoril.

He impressed in his MotoGP practice sessions at Valencia, while also earning another year in WorldSBK, this time riding the latest spec Yamaha R1 bike. Gerloff has already added another podium to his tally and continues to show race winning potential in 2021.

Garrett Gerloff

PETRONAS Yamaha Sepang Racing Team

“I’m excited for the opportunity ahead, I’m not someone who runs away from a challenge, so I’m ready to get to the track. It’ll be a new circuit for me, I like trying new tracks, it looks fun, fast and flowing, and really suits my riding style. I’m looking forward to jumping on the Yamaha M1 again and twisting the throttle. We’ll see how things go, but I feel good and would like to thank Yamaha and the team for considering me. It won’t be easy, but I’m going to give it my best shot!”