Master Camp Riders Return to Action at the Motor Ranch

The YAMAHA|VR46 Master Camp riders needed little time to get up to speed on the second day of the second Master Camp. Their first day of training at Valentino Rossi's Motor Ranch was action-packed as the riders reunited with their favorite instructor, flat track expert Marco Belli, to put their control of throttle and clutch to the test

Yamaha Motor Co., Ltd. and the VR46 Riders Academy have continued their mission to support young, aspiring racing talent today at the heart of motorcycle racing, the Adriatic coast. The second day of the second YAMAHA|VR46 Master Camp gave the riders a well-rounded impression of what is in store over the next three days; the students got down to business immediately during their flat track training in "Rossi's backyard."

Before heading out on track, good preparations are essential. A hearty lunch of beef, rice, and as much ice cream as they could manage at a restaurant in Tavullia, was called for to help sustain them during the afternoon training session.

When the young riders arrived at the Motor Ranch, their YZ250Fs and their favorite teacher, three-time English Flat Track Champion and two-time American and European Flat Track Champion Marco Belli (who the students refer to as "the King of the Sand") were already waiting for them. The riders quickly got changed and joined Belli first for a short briefing on track safety before venturing out on their machines.

The Master Camp riders had fun playing with the throttle and the clutch to maintain perfect bike control in the corners and feel that the skills that they have picked up today will definitely be of benefit to them in the remaining races of the Asia Production 250 Championship. The riders mainly focused on the correct body position and Belli was impressed that, despite not having a similar training facility near their place of residence, they only needed a short five minutes to refresh their memories.

The flat track expert was equally impressed with new student Wongthananon, who needed just a few tips to get right up to the level of the other students. Get to know new upcoming talent Wongthananon in this special rider introduction video.

Comments

Apiwat Wongthananon
"This was the first time for me that I tried to ride this type of motorcycle and I will try to keep the experience I gained here today. I tried to develop my riding to take a further step and I think I will do better tomorrow, as it will no longer be completely new to me."

Peerapong Loiboonpeng
"I'm so happy that I was given the opportunity to come back here at the Motor Ranch to try the YZ250F bike again. I tried to reconnect with the bike and the circuit and tried to improve to ride more smoothly. I want to take the things I've learned and the experience I gained home with me.""

Soichiro Minamimoto
"It's the first time we have returned to the Motor Ranch after two months and I remember the first experience well. At first I had to get re-familiarized with the track and the bike, but after riding it all came back to me. I'm not perfect yet, so tomorrow I will try again to ride better."

Kasma Daniel Bin Kasmayudin
"It was great to receive training again from Marco Belli, 'the King of the Sand.' I'm very happy to be back at the Motor Ranch. This time I felt much better, but I know I still have a lot of things to learn. I understand completely that if you can manage the bike well on track you can also improve your riding on the road race circuit."

Marco Belli
"Similar to last time, today was a great day and it was a great experience for both me and the riders. Just like last time I could clearly see that the riders wish to improve themselves and I had to keep them under control a bit and slowly build up the pace. We started with a small program to let them get used to the bike again, because it had been a long time since they had trained this discipline, which they can't do at their homes. Step by step we upped the speed throughout the day. I have to say, the riders already had a good base level and were already used to the sensations of the bike on the dirt. They already knew what they were doing. I was also impressed with the new rider, Apiwat. After just a few tips he was at the same level as the other guys, which are already improving. Last time they started from zero and it was a completely new thing to them. This time, after just five minutes they were back at the same level and in the right position on the bike and it's great to see how quickly they learn and improve."