Yamaha R15 Race series for 2017 ASBK – GP Juniors Cup
$4699 gets you a race prepared Yamaha R15 – Class for 12-16 year olds
The Yamaha R15 based series, to be known as the GP Juniors Cup, will be open to juniors aged between 12-years-old to under 16-years-old and will be introduced in two stages.
In 2017 the GP Juniors Cup will form part of the GP Juniors Australia Championship, three rounds of which will feature at the Australian Superbike Championship.
The other three rounds will be run separate to the ASBK events in 2017, and are still being finalised. The 2017 series will most likely, at this stage, have another round at Wakefield and Morgan Park, along with a round at Broadford.
The 2017 Australian Superbike Championship rounds where GP Juniors Cup will run
- Round 2 – March 17-19 – Wakefield Park Raceway
- Round 3 – April 28-10 – Winton Motor Raceway
- Round 5 – August 25-27 – Morgan Park Raceway
Motorcycling Australia, along with GP Juniors Australia and Yamaha Motor Australia, have collaborated to provide Yamaha R15 machines with race kit parts, for a bargain price of $4,499, or race prepared for $4,699, excluding race tyres. The vision is to build a production based feeder program where talent, rather than budget, determines the outcome.
GP Juniors Australia will also offer a fleet of R15’s available to lease on a round by round basis for those wanting try road racing before making the commitment to purchase their own bike. 2017 will also see the introduction of a new Junior road racing development program, designed to be more accessible, affordable and harvest optimal opportunities for young, aspiring road racers.
In 2018 the GP Juniors Cup will become a permanent feature of MA’s ASBK Championship, showcasing junior talent in front of the factory teams and on ASBK TV, with the winner of the 2018 title taking home a race prepped Yamaha R3 Cup machine.
MA’s Operations and Events Director Martin Port
“It’s MA’s vision to create and strengthen pathways for our young hopefuls to make it to the national, and possibly the world stage. The GP Juniors Cup is a significant step in achieving this and MA is excited at the prospect of working with GP Juniors Australia promotor Mark Bracks to make this a reality,” he shared.
“You only need to look to Italy and Spain to see what works. Both countries have been dominating the world stage for the past decade. The success in Europe is a result of nationally run, highly contested single-make racing programs; developing the necessary skills to fight for world titles at an age most Australian road races only start on the tarmac.
“MA’s mission is to open the sport of road racing to a younger generation of riders through a platform that teaches race craft and rider development at both state and national levels. It’s not about the haves and have nots, it’s about a level playing field so talent can shine.”
Bracks also shared his excitement on the single-make, production based feeder class, “It’s great to be working with MA to be part of a fantastic developmental program for Aussie junior road racers, who are the future of our sport both domestically and globally.
“With a proposed six round calendar in 2017 for the GP Junior Championship, three rounds featuring at ASBK, Australian GP Juniors Cup riders will gain invaluable experience not only on-track, but off-track as well, with mentoring and guidance provided by well-known Australian motorcycle racing legends.
“To make it even easier to get into the GP Juniors Cup, GP Juniors Australia is offering a leasing program for the race ready Yamaha R15, which will be transported to every round and maintained by GP Juniors Australia. This opens up the sport for more kids from Junior MX, Speedway or Flat Track to have a crack at road racing,” shared Bracks.
Yamaha Motor Australia Managing Director, Steven Cotterell had this to say about the GP Juniors Cup.
“Yamaha has a long history of supporting up and coming riders in both road and off-road competition. Many international and national stars had their first riding experience on a Yamaha PW50 and have worked their way up through the many Yamaha step up classes on the way to stardom.
“In road racing, Yamaha already supports riders on the YZF-R1, YZF-R6 and more recently the YZF-R3. It was only natural that Yamaha supported junior racing with the YZF-R15. The “We R Family” concept is now complete and Yamaha now has an avenue to truly leverage its bLU cRU customers right throughout their road racing careers.
“We are looking forward to helping grow the junior ranks alongside Motorcycling Australia and provide them with the best package to get involved in the sport of road racing,” concluded Cotterell.
What’s included for $4,499.00
- Yamaha R15
- Race fairing set
- Braided steel front brake line
- Lower set handlebars
- Adjustment plates for rear set footpegs
- Engine cover crash knobs fitted
- Performance exhaust system fitted
- Alternate rear sprockets kit
- Rear stand pickups to enable race stand to be used
- Graphics kit
The 2017 Australian Superbike Championship rounds where GP Juniors Cup will run
- Round 2 – March 17-19 – Wakefield Park Raceway
- Round 3 – April 28-10 – Winton Motor Raceway
- Round 5 – August 25-27 – Morgan Park Raceway
NB: The other three rounds will be run separate to the ASBK events in 2017, and are still being finalised. The series will most likely, at this stage, have another round at Wakefield and Morgan Park, along with a round at Broadford.
