The Yamaha Factory Racing Team has today announced the new team structure for the 2011 MotoGP World Championship season. American rider and 2010 MotoGP “Rookie of the Year” Ben Spies joins the team, bringing with him current crew chief Tom Houseworth, a partnership now unbroken since 2002. Spies’ crew will also include Gregory Wood, mechanic from his 2010 Tech3 Yamaha Team, Jurij Pellegrini, mechanic from his 2009 Yamaha World Superbike Team and YMR mechanic Mattia Bonera. Data Engineer Erkki Siukola and Mechanic Olivier Boutron complete the Team and will start with Yamaha in January 2011. Jorge Lorenzo’s championship winning crew will remain unchanged. The Yamaha Factory Racing Team management role will change for 2011 with new Team Director Massimo Meregalli and current Team Manager Wilco Zeelenberg sharing responsibility for the collective team management tasks. During race weekends Wilco Zeelenberg will retain his focus as manager for Jorge Lorenzo’s crew whilst Massimo Meregalli will take on the equivalent role for Ben Spies and his crew.