Source: Supplied.

Yamaha Motor Europe has launched an R3 bLU cRU Challenge to coincide with the introduction of the World Supersport 300 (WorldSSP300) Championship that will debut in 2017.

Held at Yamaha Motor Racing’s European headquarters at Lesmo in Italy, six young riders aged 15-19 were presented to an international audience as participants in the bLU cRU development program.

Contesting the newly-introduced WorldSSP300 series within a 35-strong line-up, Robert Schotman and Enzo De La Vega (GRT Racing Team), Kimi Patova and Renzo Ferreira (Kallio Race System), Mykyta Kalinin (Team Motoxracing) and Alfonso Coppola (SK Racing) will be aboard Yamaha’s YZF-R3.

Two of the bLU cRU challengers have previous experience within the WorldSBK paddock – Coppola contested the European Junior Cup for the past two seasons and Ferreira enjoyed a wildcard in the series’ 2015 outing at Magny-Cours.

Schotman, Kalinin and De La Vega are champions at a national level, ready for the step onto the world stage, while Patova – the youngest competitor at just 15 – harnesses an exciting level of talent in such a youthful competitor that his Kallio team are confident of his abilities and prospects.

The launch of Yamaha’s R3 bLU cRU Challenge will create a real racing path for Yamaha’s future road racing talent. All riders involved will receive a special kit package to assist in building their race-ready YZF-R3s and race service assistance throughout the season, focusing both on technical and off-track sporting aspects.

While competing in the overall WorldSSP300 class, the R3 bLU cRU riders will also compete against themselves, with the winner awarded an invitation to a training camp masterclass at the end of the season. The victor will also be granted promotion to a Yamaha Official WorldSSP Team for 2018 as they look to compete in the FIM Europe Supersport Cup.