The 2014 Yamaha YZR-M1 Breaks Cover in Indonesia

Yamaha today launched their 2014 MotoGP livery in Jakarta Indonesia. Both Jorge Lorenzo and Valentino Rossi were present at the launch, along with Yamaha racing boss Lin Jarvis and the MotoGP group leader Kouichi Tsuji.

The new livery resembles both the 2013 and 2012 color schemes very closely, with this year’s color scheme featuring a lot more white. Conspicuous by their absence were any new sponsor names, though Lin Jarvis assured Indonesian motorcycling blog TMCBlog that more sponsors would be announced before the season started. Earlier reports that a deal with Adidas was close appear not to have had much truth in them.

The reports yesterday that Jorge Lorenzo had reached a pre-agreement with Ducati for 2015 were also denied, by both Lin Jarvis to TMCBlog and in the press release itself, by Jorge Lorenzo. Jarvis told TMCBlog “I don’t think Jorge has signed any deal with Ducati. Will ducati make him a proposal? Maybe, but right now there is no truth of this rumour and hopely Jorge will be stay with us in the future.”

In the press release, Lorenzo is quoted as saying “I have to clarify that there is no truth in the rumours that there is a contract with another manufacturer and I would like to start negotiating as soon as possible for my future with Yamaha. My dream is to retire after my career as a Yamaha rider.”

The choice of Jakarta for Yamaha’s launch underlines the importance of the region for Yamaha. The launch took place at a large dealer meeting in Indonesia, and with the Indonesian distributor being one of the main sponsors behind Yamaha’s MotoGP project, the Japanese factory is keen to expand in the region.

Lin Jarvis has spoken repeatedly and publicly of the need to go back to racing in Indonesia, or at least expanding the number of races in the region. The problem for Indonesia at the moment is the lack of a suitable facility, with the Sentul track not up to current safety standards. However, it seems inevitable that more races are likely to be added in South East Asia in the next few years.