#WorldSBK – First 24 Yamaha R3 bLU cRU European Cup Entries Revealed

Yamaha Motor Europe and Dorna WSBK Organization (DWO) are delighted to confirm the first 24 entries into the Yamaha R3 bLU cRU European Cup, while a further six youngsters are on standby, with registration remaining open for the final few spots.

Providing the perfect first step on the Road to WorldSBK, the Yamaha R3 bLU cRU European Cup pits riders aged 12-20 against each other across six double-header rounds, each supporting 2021 MOTUL FIM Superbike World Championship events.

For the inaugural season, 24 potential stars of the future from 13 countries have already registered, with riders from Austria, Belgium, Brazil, France, Greece, Italy, the Netherlands, Portugal, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Turkey and the United Kingdom represented so far.

Amongst the entrants are also the winners from the various national Yamaha R3 bLU cRU Challenge championships in 2020.

From France, 17-year-old Gregory Carbonnel joins the Yamaha R3 bLU cRU European Cup roster after a dominant display in the French Supersport 300 Championship, in which he won every race from pole position. Crescent Racing-supported British youngster Brody Crockford, son of ex-British Superbike racer John Crockford, steps up to the series after a strong Hel Performance Junior Supersport season, where he finished third.

Italian R3 bLU cRU Challenge winner Giacomo Mora, who’s previously made sporadic appearances in the FIM Supersport 300 World Championship and has impressed on the Yamaha R3 at a national level, also joins the grid. Elsewhere, Yamalube R3 bLU cRU Cup winner Humberto “Torquinho” Maier is one of Team Brasil’s four entries into the championship and will look to impress on his first foray into European road racing.

Those who register will get their first taste of the championship and their Yamaha R3 machinery in the official R3 bLU cRU European Cup promo day and test at Misano (18-19 March), where Pata Yamaha WorldSBK Official Team riders Toprak Razgatlıoğlu and Andrea Locatelli, as well as GRT Yamaha WorldSBK Junior Team’s Garrett Gerloff will be in attendance.

Riders who are interested in signing up to the Yamaha R3 bLU cRU European Cup can find out more information and register today here.

Gregory Carbonnel:
“After participating in the bLU cRU camp in France in 2018 and the Masterclass in 2019, I’m very happy to enter the first Yamaha R3 bLU cRU European Cup, and I can’t wait to be in the pre-season test in Misano. I think this championship is a good step for my career and it falls at the right time for me to continue evolving. All the riders will be on equal machinery, which makes it fair for all and it allows me to compare myself to others around Europe. My objectives this season are to continue learning and make step-by-step progress, while enjoying myself and discovering new circuits too. I hope over the next few years, through my results and motivation, that I get to continue to live this amazing adventure with the Yamaha family that has supported me greatly since the beginning.”

Brody Crockford:
“I’m excited to continue to be part of the Yamaha bLU cRU program in 2021 and take the next step in my racing career with the inaugural Yamaha R3 bLU cRU European Cup. No other manufacturer offers the same route or support for young riders looking to progress and I am really looking forward to learning the top European circuits and racing against riders from across the world. The focus is to be competitive and really demonstrate what I can do to be able to progress through the bLU cRU program, ultimately to WorldSBK! The exposure to factory teams by being part of this series is incredible, as well as the opportunity to learn from the official Yamaha WorldSBK riders and bLU cRU coaches!”

Humberto “Torquinho” Maier:
“I’m really looking forward to the start of the Yamaha R3 bLU cRU European Cup, after so long waiting. We have been training intensively in Brazil, to be best prepared for the new season. It will be a challenging and also important year for my career, my goal is to represent Brazil while giving my all. It is an honour and a dream come true to be part of the bLU cRU program in Brazil and now also in Europe. The project is very encouraging and I am sure it will be fundamental to my evolution.”

Giacomo Mora:
“I’m very excited for the new season. I chose this championship because I believe in the Yamaha bLU cRU project, it means a lot to be taking part in the first-ever edition of the Yamaha R3 bLU cRU European Cup. I’m looking forward to comparing my performance to others around Europe. It’s also a good opportunity to race on some new and famous tracks. I hope to achieve some excellent results and start my journey to WorldSBK, which has always been my goal. I feel physically and mentally strong, I’ve been training a lot and I’m ready to start this new adventure.”