Source: Yamaha Racing.

The Milwaukee Yamaha team will debut the much-anticipated new YZF-R1 in Spain this week when MCE Insurance British Superbike Championship title contenders Josh Brookes and Broc Parkes return to the track at an official Yamaha Racing test at Alcarras.

The team will join the major Yamaha Racing teams at the Spanish test following the recent world launch at the MotoGP team headquarters in Italy, when the new livery was revealed to the world’s media.

Brookes is eager to complete the first laps on the Milwaukee Yamaha after experiencing the road bike at the world launch in Australia recently. Brookes believes the new model could deliver his best opportunity of a title victory.

“This first test can’t come soon enough for me,” Brookes said. “After experiencing the road version of the R1 at the recent world launch back home in Australia, I can’t wait to ride the Milwaukee Yamaha race bike.

“It will be different as it will be in BSB technical specification, but the advancement from Yamaha on power and chassis on the standard road bike make this test really exciting as it will be the first time we experience the real McCoy.

“As a rider you want to achieve your goals, but I won’t be putting too much pressure on myself for the first test as it is the first time the bikes will have been run on track – until now they have only been on the dyno. We have lots of checks to make at this initial shakedown and it will be a chance for us to gel with the new Yamaha ready for the official test at Donington Park.”

Fellow Australian contender Parkes will make his full-season debut in the championship, having scored podium finishes as a wild-card at the Brands Hatch round in 2009. The test will mark the first opportunity for Parkes to ride the new R1 as he prepares for the forthcoming season.

“I am really looking forward to this test as I haven’t ridden a race bike since the end of last season,” Parkes commented. “I have seen a lot of the bike from the recent official launch in Italy and also from the media reviews which have been really positive.

“Yamaha have put such a huge amount of effort into this project and that is a big boost. I have heard so much great feedback, from last year when I was riding for Yamaha in the World Endurance Championship, through to the recent road tests, so I just can’t wait to get started now.

“We have this first shakedown and we are all feeling really positive already. We need to understand the new bike as quickly as possible and work together to be ready for the opening round.”