Yamaha Factory Racing Team Press Release Saturday, 12th April 2008 Estoril, Portugal YAMAHA EXTEND RELATIONSHIP WITH TECH 3 FOR TWO MORE YEARS Yamaha Motor Co. Ltd and Yamaha Motor Racing Srl are delighted to announce that they have signed a two-year extension to their contract with the Tech 3 Team in MotoGP. Yamaha, which has supplied bikes and factory support to the French team since 1999, will continue to do so throughout the 2009 and 2010 seasons. The Tech 3 Yamaha Team, which is headed by Team Principal Hervé Poncharal, is currently enjoying a successful start to the MotoGP season, with American Colin Edwards and Briton James Toseland having achieved three front-row starts and three top-ten finishes between them in the first two races. “We are delighted that we are going to be continuing our relationship with the Tech 3 Team and with Hervé Poncharal,” said Lin Jarvis, Managing Director of Yamaha Motor Racing. “Our partnership is long-standing and we are very pleased with the significant improvements this year by the Tech 3 Yamaha Team both on and off the track. Yamaha believes in long-term relations with all of its partners and despite some difficulties in the past two years we have stuck together, made new plans and both Tech 3 and Yamaha are now seeing the fruits of our respective labours. “Tech 3 play an important part in our MotoGP program. They have a great package this year and their early season results with Colin and James have been very encouraging. It has always been our strong intention to have four competitive bikes on the grid and we are now in that position. “It is therefore only logical to make the commitment to stay together and we believe that this early decision will give Tech 3 the confidence to invest in the future.” More, from another press release issued by Yamaha Racing: Tech 3 team extend relationship with Yamaha and James Toseland Yamaha Motor Co. Ltd and Yamaha Motor Racing Srl are delighted to announce that they have signed a two-year extension to their contract with the Tech 3 Team in MotoGP. Yamaha, which has supplied bikes and factory support to the French team since 1999, will continue to do so throughout the 2009 and 2010 seasons. Simultaneously the Tech 3 team and MotoGP debutant James Toseland have already agreed to exercise an option for the 2009 season after the 27-year-old made an instant impact in MotoGP. The Tech 3 Yamaha Team, which is headed by Team Principal Herve Poncharal, is currently enjoying a very successful start to the MotoGP season, with American Colin Edwards and Briton James Toseland who has scored top six finishes in his first two races, and claimed a front row start on his debut in Qatar. “We are delighted that we are going to be continuing our relationship with the Tech 3 Team and with Herve Poncharal,” said Lin Jarvis, Managing Director of Yamaha Motor Racing. “Our partnership is long-standing and we are very pleased with the significant improvements this year by the Tech 3 Yamaha Team both on and off the track. Yamaha believes in long-term relations with all of its partners and despite some difficulties in the past two years we have stuck together, made new plans and both Tech 3 and Yamaha are now seeing the fruits of our respective labours. “Tech 3 play an important part in our MotoGP program. They have a great package this year and their early season results with Colin and James have been very encouraging. It has always been our strong intention to have four competitive bikes on the grid and we are now in that position. “It is therefore only logical to make the commitment to stay together and we believe that this early decision will give Tech 3 the confidence to invest in the future.” Herve Poncharal Yamaha Tech 3 Team Manager “I am delighted that Tech 3 has been able to extend our long partnership with Yamaha until the end of the 2010 season. We can look ahead to a future that looks brighter than ever before. This new contract gives us the stability to strive towards a goal we have always shared with Yamaha, and that is to win races. I would like to thank Yamaha management, my team, and of course our riders. It is fantastic to be able to confirm that we have exercised the option for 2009 with James. It is also incredibly gratifying to know that James is so happy with his decision to join the team that he already wanted to commit for next year. Everybody in the team and Yamaha is fully confident about his future potential. James has already performed beyond expectations, and I have no doubt that he will only get stronger in the near future. Together with James and Yamaha, we believe we can achieve great things.” James Toseland “I am extremely grateful to Tech 3 and Yamaha for giving me this fantastic opportunity. For them to show confidence and trust in my ability after just two races is very flattering. Signing for 2009 gives me the time to really develop with the team, Yamaha and Michelin. When I first tested for Tech 3 last November in Sepang, I knew instantly I’d made the right decision. I knew I could accomplish what I wanted to achieve in MotoGP and that was to prove that I could be competitive. Thanks to Tech 3, Yamaha and Michelin, I have done that after two races. The team and Yamaha welcomed me right from the start and gave me 100 per cent backing. The belief shown in me from Tech 3, and in particular Herve Poncharal, has been incredible. Before this season I had never worked with Yamaha, so for me to gain confidence from the factory in such a short space of time is great. “I think I have already proved that I deserve to be in MotoGP, and that I can be an asset to the championship, to the team and to Yamaha. I believe that Tech 3 and Yamaha will help me realise my goals of winning races and the championship in MotoGP, and I hope this is the start of a long and successful relationship.”