Yamaha Factory Racing stars Jorge Lorenzo and Valentino Rossi kicked off the new MotoGP season on Friday by unveiling the 2014 Yamaha YZR-M1 live in front of nearly 4000 members of the Yamaha family at the 3S Dealer meeting in Indonesia.
“It’s always great to come to Indonesia,” Rossi said. “The Indonesians are the best fans in the world, with a lot of passion for MotoGP and the Yamaha Factory Team, even though they have no races in their country. Yamaha Indonesia plays a big role in Yamaha’s global business and I truly hope that Jorge’s and my presence here gives a further boost to their local business.”
The two-day visit saw both riders engage in a number of activities for their first official outing of 2014. On Thursday Lorenzo met with a number of local media before heading off to take part in a soccer game with a team of Lorenzo fans and members of the Yamaha community.
Friday morning Lorenzo and Rossi went together to meet Joko Widodo, the current Governor of Jakarta. The threesome spent some time cycling and chatting together before the riders moved on to join the thousands of Yamaha dealers gathered to witness the unveiling of the 2014 YZR-M1 that marked the start of the 3S Dealer Meeting.
“I like the new bike a lot,” Lorenzo said. “It’s very smart and elegant with more white. It’s not just the colour though; I’m excited to see what’s inside the bike in Sepang!
“My expectations for this season are very high. This winter I had an operation to take out the metal plates in my shoulder so I’m a bit lighter but I’m also a bit fatter after Christmas! I am training hard to lose some kilos and I will try to start the season well like last year and be straight onto the podium. This will be important to get points and gain confidence to keep going through the season. Our rivals will be tough but I think if we’ve improved in some areas then we have a good chance to win the title again.
“When you are fast and winning races all the big factories want you, this is normal. 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. If our bike is even better this year then it will be easier!”
Added Rossi, “The expectations for the coming season are very high. My target is to try and do better than last year, be more competitive and fight for the podium every weekend. I am sure our bike will be very competitive again. It was already very good last year and Yamaha engineers were able to develop it further through the season therefore I expect a lot from my new M1 and I am sure it will get even better during the season.”
Lorenzo and Rossi wrapped up the day by recording a local TV show and shooting a Yamaha TV commercial before heading to the airport and saying goodbye to Indonesia once again.
–From www.yamaha-racing.com
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