PPG partner of JiR team for the Yamaha R3 bLU cRU European Cup

PPG is official partner of the Yamaha R3 bLU cRU European Cup, a new motorcycle race series aiming to provide a path to the world stage for young riders. 

The partnership with Yamaha R3 bLU cRU European Cup was born above all on a technical level, with the supply of paints for the trucks and trailers of the JiR team, organizer and promoter of the series, with the aim of supporting young talents in the field of motorsport.

The Yamaha R3 bLU cRU European Cup is an absolute novelty of this year; it is the first step for young riders who aspire to enter the SBK (Superbike) World Championship.

The series competes in the European circuits inside the SBK world championship races; riding the Yamaha YZF R3, supplied by Yamaha Motor Europe, 27 riders between the ages of 12 and 20 have an opportunity to take their first steps in international motorcycle racing.

"Our goal with the Yamaha R3 bLU cRU European Cup is simple, we want to make racing accessible to as many young riders as possible," explained Paolo Pavesio, Yamaha Motor Europe Marketing and Motorsport Director. "For many talented youngsters making the step from national to international competition is cost prohibitive, which means that they never get the chance to realize their full potential and we see a reduced talent pool on the world stage as a result. The R3 bLU cRU European Cup is a turnkey solution, where riders pay less than €28,000 for the full season, with all the bikes and equipment supplied and maintained by our series partner, JiR - Japan Italy Racing."

I signed up to the R3 bLU cRU European Cup because it was an amazing opportunity and after my experience in the UK made me want to continue working with Yamaha,” said Britain’s Brody Crockford. “It’s an incredible championship and I don’t really know any other manufacturers that give young riders this opportunity, so I had to take it.”

Among the 27 riders, also 13-year-old Kayla Yaakov from the United States, the only female representative, is excited about the debut at European level with the Yamaha R3 bLU cRU European Cup. “My expectations for the first season are to develop a very good pace, to learn all the new tracks here in Europe and have a lot of fun,” she said. “My first impressions of the Yamaha R3 is that they look fast, like they handle well, and it looks like they’re a lot of fun to ride.”

Alberto Barozzi, Racing Manager of Yamaha Motor Europe bLU cRU, was encouraged by the first test the first two races in Misano and Donington, and is now ready to see how the season progresses. “The reaction to the test was really positive. Of course, we have a lot of expectations to have more riders involved in this activity, once the pandemic is solved” he said. “The Yamaha R3 bLU cRU European Cup is a good challenge for all of the bLU cRU riders, but it’s also good for us, as we have an ambition for the future to have one of these guys being able to grab the R1 WorldSBK handlebars. That will be our dream. We will see who will be able to do it!”

"PPG is very close to the world of young people, and offers its support in different contexts: from STEM projects (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) aimed at cultivating young talents in the scientific field, to activities supported around the world with the COLORFUL COMMUNITES^® Project , which in the most of cases is dedicated to contexts related to childhood or youth,” says Giuseppe De Pietro, Automotive Refinish Director Italy & Malta. "Therefore, we wanted to give continuity also in the sports field by supporting the Yamaha R3 bLU cRU European Cup youth championship, aimed at identifying young talents in motorsport".                                                                                                                   

^{All photos - Credit by Yamaha Racing}