Yamaha's YZR-M1 makes GP debut!

Yamaha's all-new four-stroke MotoGP prototype, the YZR-M1, is scheduled to commence the second leg of its European test program at the Catalunya, Spain, in the week after round six of the MotoGP World Championship.

However, taking advantage of the machine's availability, Yamaha has announced that the YZR-M1 will make its first public appearance in action on Sunday morning prior to the day's racing activities on June 17.

The YZR-M1 is planned to be ridden on the Catalunya circuit by Yamaha test rider Norihiko Fujiwara, who will do two laps in front of an expected 100,000 strong crowd. It will be the first time ever that the public will have the opportunity to see and hear a 2002 MotoGP four-stroke prototype machine and get a taste of what the future holds for the pinnacle of motorcycle road racing.

After the public appearance on Sunday, two YZR-M1 test machines will stay on to join the Marlboro Yamaha Team for a three-day test. Regular Yamaha factory race development riders Kyoji Namba and Norihiko Fujiwara will again be joined by John Kocinski. Yamaha's top men Max Biaggi and Carlos Checa will also test the bike to provide further pure racer feedback on the YZR-M1 development and compare the M1 with their latest two-stroke YZR500.

The primary objective for Biaggi and Checa however, is to test the current YZR500 two-stroke machines as part of the team's on-going monthly testing schedule. The aim is to further improve their 2001 YZR500s for the second half of the highly competitive MotoGP 500 World Championship season, concentrating on new engine parts and new aerodynamics.