Misano Adriatico (Italy), 12th September 2013 Yamaha is delighted to confirm the contract renewal with satellite MotoGP team Tech3 for 2014 and 2015. The two-year agreement will see Tech3 continue to run the prototype Yamaha YZR-M1 machines in the premier class for the next two years. Tech3 and Yamaha have enjoyed an excellent partnership and cooperation for over a decade, with Tech3 running the YZR-M1 machines for the first time towards the end of the 2002 season. The agreement will see Yamaha and Tech3 continuing to work closely together to develop young talented riders as they move into the premier class of motorcycle racing. Yamaha Factory Racing Lin Jarvis Yamaha Motor Racing, Managing Director “I’m really very happy to continue our relationship with Hervé Poncharal and the entire Tech3 Team. We have enjoyed a very successful partnership for more than a decade and have shared many memorable moments over the years. The Monster Yamaha Tech3 Team continues to perform as the top ranking satellite Team in the MotoGP class and their riders are frequently scoring excellent results and providing great excitement for the MotoGP fans. Now that we share Monster Energy as a common sponsor our link is even closer and we are very keen to continue to work together closely for the future to develop young talent which is a very important part of our total Yamaha Factory Racing program.” Yamaha Factory Racing Hervé Poncharal Monster Yamaha Tech3 Team Principal “I’m very happy and proud to announce that Tech3 is going to be for the next two years again working and supported by the Yamaha Motor Company. It is an honour and a privilege. We have been working with Yamaha since 1999 in the 250 class with Olivier Jacque and Shinya Nakano and in 2000 we won the 250 championship. Next season we switched to the premier class and since then we have enjoyed a great collaboration and a great relationship. It is not only a technical partnership but we feel truly part of the Yamaha family. Next year is a new adventure having two young riders; Bradley Smith will be entering his second MotoGP season and will be joined by Pol Espargaró so we are very excited. I believe this is going to be a great set up not only together with Yamaha, but with our sponsors too and that is something we are pretty proud of.” Notes Monster Yamaha Tech3 Team – History The French-based Monster Yamaha Tech3 Team is one of the most experienced competing in the MotoGP World Championship, with its proud history traced back to 1989. Located in Provence in southern France, the team was formed by Hervé Poncharal together with two colleagues and began its Grand Prix adventure by contesting the 250 World Championship with Dominique Sarron. In 1993 Tech3 ran American John Kocinski in the 250 series, before signing two years later the emerging talent Olivier Jacque. It was to be a partnership that elevated Tech3 and Jacque’s profile to a new level. The French rider won a dramatic 250 title in the last race against team-mate Shinya Nakano at Phillip Island in 2000 – the Tech3 team thrilling fans worldwide with one of the closest finishes to a title fight in history. A year later in 2001, Tech3 further enhanced its growing reputation by joining the MotoGP class, starting a long and successful collaboration with Yamaha in the premier series. Nakano scored Tech3’s first MotoGP podium in Germany in 2001. And since then some of the biggest talents in racing have spent time riding for Tech3, including Norick Abe, Carlos Checa, Alex Barros, Marco Melandri, Colin Edwards, Ben Spies, Andrea Dovizioso, Cal Crutchlow and Bradley Smith. Now an integral part of Yamaha’s hugely successful MotoGP effort, Tech3 has enjoyed tremendous success in its recent history. Edwards scored four top three finishes in his spell with Tech3, while Spies enjoyed a fantastic rookie campaign in 2010 to claim a stunning debut MotoGP podium at Silverstone and a brilliant pole position and second place in his home race in Indianapolis. Spies’ natural talent together with the experience and dedication of the Tech3 Yamaha Team ensured the Texan quickly earned a coveted seat in Yamaha’s Factory MotoGP squad for the 2011 World Championship campaign. 2012 has undoubtedly been the most successful for Tech3 in its premier class history. The signing of Italian Andrea Dovizioso was a major coup for Tech3 and he established himself as the Team’s most successful rider ever. Dovizioso scored six podium finishes and together with another fantastic two podiums taken by Cal Crutchlow the Tech3 Team confirmed its status as the leading independent team in the coveted Team World Championship having one rider on the podium in nearly 50% of the races in 2012 finishing third in the Team overall championship standing. In 2013 Bradley Smith has joined the Tech3 MotoGP line-up underlining the philosophy of the French team to help young talents to emerge in the premier class of motorcycling and together with his experienced teammate Cal Crutchlow the all British squad performs in a brilliant way during the ongoing season. Four podium finishes and two pole positions have already been added to the history books this year, highlighting together with a current third position in the team championship standing the fantastic work Tech3 is putting on track since 24 years.