Yamalube Yamaha Official Rally Team Fired Up For Morocco Rally Showdown

2016-10-02 08:56
All-set and ready to contest the OiLibya Morocco Rally, the Yamalube Yamaha Official Rally Team have their sights set on wrapping up the 2016 FIM Cross-Country Rallies Championship on a high. Making their debut aboard the heavily updated WR450F Rally machine, the team of Hélder Rodrigues, Adrien Van Beveren, Alessandro Botturi and Rodney Faggotter will battle against the elite of international rally racing one last time before the Dakar 2017.

Kicking off tomorrow in Agadir, the 2016 edition of the OiLibya Morocco Rally plays host to the fifth and final round of this year's 2016 FIM Cross-Country Rallies Championship. For the Yamalube Yamaha Official Rally Team it will be a perfect chance to assess the development of their new bikes in the long and tough stages amongst the dunes of Morocco.

Enjoying a strong season so far Hélder Rodrigues will settle for nothing less than overall victory in Morocco, having claimed third overall at the second round of the championship in Qatar. Working hard during the past few months to further improve his speed and physical conditioning the Portuguese rider is now ready to take on the last big competitive challenge before the prestigious Dakar.

Rodrigues' teammate Adrien Van Beveren enters the OiLibya Morocco Rally confident he can continue his impressive run of form. Along with a solid third overall at the Merzouga Rally, the Frenchman has won individual stages more than once this season. Knowing that another podium finish is well within his reach, Adrien will look to gain even more experience in navigation and long rally stages.

Returning from injury at round three of the 2016 series Alessandro Botturi has already collected two individual stage victories, finishing fourth overall at the Sardinia Rally 2016. Now back to full fitness, the Italian racer will be looking to make a notable impact on the final round of the championship.

The Yamalube Yamaha Official Rally Team is completed by Rodney Faggoter, who will make his official racing debut aboard the WR450F Rally in Morocco. The Australian will look to make the most of his vast experience in multi-stage racing in order to assist the team get as close as possible to the top.

With the Prologue taking place tomorrow in Agadir, the OiLibya Morocco Rally 2016 will be contested over five stages in the heart of the north African country.

José Leloir - Yamalube Yamaha Official Rally Team manager José Leloir, Yamalube Yamaha Official Rally Team manager
"This event will be a perfect test for us. It's been raining for the last few days in Agadir so conditions might be harder than expected. We're also happy to welcome Rodney Faggotter in our team. Along with giving our riders the opportunity to gain more racing time, our goal is to assess the development of the WR450F Rally in real racing conditions. There's a great atmosphere within our team and we are confident that we can battle for top honours. We'll look to make the most out of every situation and better prepare for the upcoming Dakar."
Hélder Rodrigues - Yamalube Yamaha Official Rally Team Hélder Rodrigues, Yamalube Yamaha Official Rally Team rider
"I've worked hard during the past few months contesting various enduro and baja events, so I'm ready to battle for the top at the Morocco Rally. Getting a good result at this rally will also be a psychological boost for the Dakar. I feel that with the latest version of our bike we've made another step forwards. I feel all the pieces of the puzzle are exactly where they need to be. We've proved we can be both fast and consistent, so if we continue working as hard it won't take long for the results to come."
Adrien Van Beveren- Yamalube Yamaha Official Rally Team Adrien Van Beveren, Yamalube Yamaha Official Rally Team rider
"I'm really happy to meet with all my team again, in Morocco. Hélder and Alessandro are like my brothers now and together with Rodney we have a very strong team. We started working on the new bike last July, during our week-long testing session again in Morocco. We've worked hard since then to perfect every little detail so now we have a machine that's easier to ride and even more reliable. For me personally, I feel I'm still learning the tricks of rally racing. Last week we did some navigation training with our Sports Manager Jordi Arcarons here in Morocco. I have to be patient and take each day of the rally as a new challenge. Obviously the ultimate goal is to be 100% ready for the Dakar next January."
Alessandro Botturi - Yamalube Yamaha Official Rally Team Alessandro Botturi, Yamalube Yamaha Official Rally Team rider
"We're more than ready for the Morocco Rally challenge. We start with a short Prologue tomorrow and then go on with the first of five stages on Monday morning. I feel better than ever this season and I'm ready to push for a good overall result. The team have worked a lot and have managed to make our bike even better. The new bike has an improved weight distribution and is a lot easier to handle. We'll be using the exact same bike in the upcoming Dakar, so for all of us the Morocco Rally is a great test.
Rodney Faggotter - Yamalube Yamaha Official Rally Team Rodney Faggotter, Yamalube Yamaha Official Rally Team rider
"I feel we're continuously on the up with our team. The more time I spend getting to know each member of the team better the more confidant I feel for the future. We've made some more improvements to the bike. The overall feeling on the bike is much improved. With the new fuel tanks the bike feels a lot narrower, which makes it super slim and agile. It's pretty exciting times for me. I feel fit, my body is good and the same for the rest of the team. I've spent a lot of time working on my navigation skills over the past few months, so I can't wait for the race to start."

Source: Yamaha Motor Europe N.V.

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