A few days ago we had brought you the news that hallowed brand MV Agusta which won most number of races with Giacomo Agostini was making a return to racing not in MotoGP but in World Superbikes and World Supersports. The team that has been chosen to run this effort is the fairly young Yaknich Racing from Russia. The team is two years old but in 2013 it ran an ultra successful WSS campaign which saw Sam Lowes on a Yamaha (non-factory) defeat Kenan Sofuoglu on a factory Kawasaki (represented by Mahi Racing India). Team Yaknich has been chosen by Giovanni Castiglione the custodian of the MV Agusta brand to run two MV Agusta’s in the 600cc WSS effort and one in the 1000cc WSBK category. The names of the riders have also been released by Yaknich and MV Agusta and they are the experienced campaigner Jules Cluzel the Frenchman, who was stranded without a ride after doing quite well in the WSBK category this year and Russian rider Vladimir Leonov.
In the WSBK category Yaknich which wanted an Italian to ride the MV Agusta F4RR has chosen Claudio Corti who raced alongside Colin Edwards atop an FTR-Kawasaki in the CRT category of MotoGP for Team NGM Forward Racing. Forward Racing has switched to the open category in MotoGP with a leased full MotoGP spec Yamaha engine and a chassis built by FTR and has signed Aleix Espargaro alongside Colin Edwards and this left Claudio Corti as a free agent. He has now been snapped up by the Yaknich-MV Agusta combine and he has done his first run on the MV Agusta F4RR,
The production version of MV Agusta F4RR
Here is the complete press release issued by Yaknich Racing and MV Agusta
MV AGUSTA REPARTO CORSE – YAKHNICH MOTORSPORT
TEAM LINE-UP DEFINED
Varese, 22nd November 2013 – The MV Agusta Reparto Corse – Yakhnich Motorsport team is delighted to announce their riders for the 2014 season.
Defending the team colours – this time astride an MV Agusta – in the Supersport class will be Russian rider Vladimir Leonov. Already a veteran of two years with the Yakhnich team, in 2013 Leonov enjoyed another positive year that saw him start from the front row of the grid twice and achieve a podium place in Imola. Joining Vladimir Leonov in the Supersport team will be Frenchman Jules Cluzel, who returns to this category after a year competing in Superbike, his goal is to go all out for the championship title.
In the Superbike class, the racer chosen to ride the F4 RR is Claudio Corti. Following several years’ commitment in MotoGP, Corti is now eager to return to Superbike and place all his talent and hardwon skills – enhanced also by recent experience in the CRT class – at the team’s complete disposal. The full team will be taking to the track at Jerez for the first official tests on 25th and 26th November.
Claudio Corti: “When the team offered me a place, well, the decision couldn’t have been easier. I’m honoured and can’t help but feel the responsibility of being part, together with the entire team, of such an ambitious project with none other than MV Agusta, a manufacturer that is a motorcycling legend. Everyone on the team is going to have their work cut out for them during this first year in the world Superbike championship. I’m looking forward to giving it my all, drawing on all the experience gained so far and turning goals into results!”
Vladimir Leonov: “After two years’ experience in Supersport, I believe I have enough experience to get on top. The bike might be new, but the team, with which I’ve now been racing three years, is the same, and I’m confident that the MV Agusta F3 is going to be highly competitive. In short, this time the strategy is to aim straight for the top of the leader board… and stay there”.
Jules Cluzel: “Returning to Supersport as part of project like this, with a team who are reigning world champions and a bike as competitive as the F3, gives me a magnificent opportunity to take the title that remained just out of reach in 2012”.
Giovanni Castiglioni: “I am convinced of the potential of our team and very pleased that we are making this announcement today, the date of my father’s birthday, who had always dreamed of taking MV Agusta back racing at the highest level of the World Championship”.
VIA G. MACCHI, 144
SCHIRANNA
21100 VARESE – ITALY
TEL. +39 0332 254111
FAX + 39 0332 254412
www.mvagusta.it
P R E S S I N F O R M A T I O N