News

With the 2018 FIM Supersport 300 World Championship action drawing ever closer, Yamaha have announced an addition to their bLU cRU line up which is set to compete in the series next season, as Joep Overbeeke will replace Alessandro Arcangeli in the six rider line up.

Following a tough masterclass in which the stars of tomorrow were chosen, the young Dutch rider has been drafted in to join Italian Luca Bernardi, Dutch compatriot Dennis Koopman, Notis Papapavlou from Greece, French rider Hugo de Cancellis and 18-year-old Indonesian Galang Hendra Pratama – who took a stunning victory around Jerez this season when competing as a One Event rider.

With Overbeeke impressing and narrowly missing out on the bLU cRU selection in the first instance, it has now been decided that Arcangeli will spend 2018 in the Italian CIV Supersport 300 class alongside some potential WorldSSP300 wild card appearances.

Joep Overbeeke explains his delight at the news: "I was really happy and surprised when I got the great news that I would get to take part in the 2018 Yamaha R3 bLU cRU Challenge. I'm really looking forward to the season and getting to race in the Supersport 300 World Championship, plus being a part of the Yamaha bLU cRU project. I will work very hard to achieve my goal, to finish in the top three overall in the championship and to win the Yamaha R3 bLU cRU Challenge. I would like to thank Yamaha Motor Europe and the bLU cRU Ambassadors very much for this opportunity!"

Yamaha Motor Europe bLU cRU Racing Manager, Alberto Barozzi adds: "We would like to welcome Joep onboard the Yamaha R3 bLU cRU Challenge! His talent was clear to see for everyone at the recent bLU cRU Masterclass but, unfortunately, there simply weren't enough slots available to include him in the original selection. Alessandro is a real young talent and has decided that it would be better for him if he spent next season racing in the CIV on his Yamaha R3, to give him a chance to develop his skills more before trying to make it on the world stage full-time in 2019. It will be an interesting season for both riders, who know what they have to do and I wish them good luck and all the best for 2018!"

The FIM Supersport 300 World Championship kicks off on 13^th – 15^th April 2018, but in the meantime head over to the WorldSBK VideoPass to relive some of the stunning action from the inaugural season.