The McAMS Yamaha Team will pay homage to Yamaha Motor’s 60-year history of competing in the Grand Prix World Championship by running a special livery for next weekend’s Oulton Park round of the 2021 Bennetts British Superbike Championship.
The R1s ridden by championship leader Jason O’Halloran and team-mate Tarran Mackenzie will feature the iconic white and red speed block colours that have become synonymous with Yamaha Racing throughout its six-decade tenure in Grand Prix competition.
The special livery will form part of a weekend of celebration at Oulton Park, which will see Yamaha Motor UK display an array of classic race machinery on their stand in the retail area opposite Chequers café. The weekend will also feature two parade laps led by three-time British Superbike Champion and former Yamaha Grand Prix racer Niall Mackenzie.
O’Halloran and Mackenzie, currently first and second in the championship, will race in the red and white colours in the second and third races of the opening round of the Showdown on Sunday 26 September.
The celebration follows on from the official World Superbike and Endurance World Championship teams running the colours in Barcelona and at the prestigious Bol d’Or. Yamaha has also announced that all of their Supersport models – R1, R7, R3 and R125 – will be available in the stunning Anniversary World GP colours in 2022.
The team will formally unveil the one-off colours at Oulton Park on Thursday 23 September.
O'Halloran said: "Growing up, Yamaha to me was always the red and white speed blocks. It's iconic and so many legendary racers are associated with those colours, so to be able to race with the red and white speed blocks at Oulton Park is a huge privilege for me. I remember when the team ran the special R1 livery in 2018, I wasn't with them at the time but you could see how much of a buzz everyone got from them running the special colours.
"2021 has been great for us, we've been on the podium at every round so let's hope that continues next weekend and we can stick these beautiful anniversary colours on the box."
Mackenzie added: “I have been lucky enough to run a special Yamaha livery before back in 2018 at Brands Hatch when we celebrated 20 years of the R1, so I know from experience what a special occasion it is. Yamaha is a brand with such an incredible history, it makes you feel really proud to be a small part of that. To be racing in the red and white speed block colours is a huge honour for me, it is an instantly recognisable colour scheme and linked to so many icons in motorsport.
"2021 has been an incredible season for the McAMS Yamaha team, so hopefully our strong year can continue and we can celebrate 60 years of Yamaha Grand Prix Racing in style at Oulton Park."
Team Principal Steve Rodgers concluded: “Yamaha’s racing history speaks for itself and there’s no more iconic colour scheme than the red and white speed blocks so it is an honour to have been asked by Yamaha to take part in this special celebration of their 60th anniversary of racing on the world stage in Grand Prix.
"I’ve been a Yamaha fan for years and have my own personal collection of Yamaha TZs, some of which will be on display at Oulton Park, so for the team to be running in these colours at Oulton Park is very special for me, the riders and everyone involved. Thank you to our sponsors for allowing us to change the colours and celebrate this special occasion."