Quartararo, Locatelli, and Arbolino Help Bring a Close to Incredible Yamaha BLU CRU Master Camp
The 2025 Yamaha BLU CRU Master Camp concluded after five days in Valencia, with the ten young riders aged 15-18 getting to ride R7s around the Aspar Circuit track alongside 2021 MotoGP World Champion Fabio Quartararo, WorldSBK race winner Andrea Locatelli, and Moto2 star Tony Arbolino, to bring a close to an incredible event.
The final day at the Yamaha BLU CRU Master Camp saw Natalia Rivera (Spain), Arai Agaska (Indonesia), Christopher Clark (USA), Mario Salles (Brazil), Alessandro Di Persio (Italy), Thanakit Pratumtong (Thailand), Leonardo Marques (Brazil), Valentino Knezovic (Australia), Hinata Okada (Japan), and Rintaro Takemoto (Japan) get to take to the 2.2km track at the Aspar Motorsport complex under the guidance of 2009 FIM 125cc World Champion and Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP team Rider Performance Analyst Julian Simon.
Adding to the excitement for the young riders was the fact that they were joined on track by Yamaha stars Quartararo (Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP Team), Locatelli (Pata Maxus WorldSBK Official Team), and Arbolino (BLU CRU Pramac Yamaha Moto2 Team), who not only rode with them but also passed on their knowledge and expertise.
The day began with a couple of practice sessions, followed by a special Superpole shootout where the BLU CRU riders took to the track one at a time to set a flying lap. Despite the extra pressure, all the riders managed to improve their times from their track sessions earlier in the week, and it was the current leader of the FIM R3 BLU CRU World Cup, Di Persio, who claimed the honour of setting the fastest lap to take the top step of the podium.
A closing ceremony followed, during which each of the young riders was presented with an Alpinestars race top signed by all the guest riders who attended the 2025 Yamaha BLU CRU Master Camp. It was a fitting ending to a week that BLU CRU riders will never forget, which saw them get to meet and train with not only Quartararo, Locatelli, and Arbolino, but also Alex Rins (Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP Team), Prima Pramac Yamaha MotoGP Team’s Jack Miller and Miguel Oliveira, Izan Guevara (BLU CRU Pramac Yamaha Moto2 Team ), Jonathan Rea (Pata Maxus Yamaha WorldSBK Official Team), Remy Gardner (GYTR GRT Yamaha WorldSBK Team), and Aldi Satya Mahendra (Yamaha BLU CRU Evan Bros WorldSSP Supported Team).
During the five days, participants also had the opportunity to learn from some of the best coaches in the business while trying their hand at various activities, ranging from technical training to riding WaveRunners at the Valencia Marina. These included multi-time WorldSSP race winner Julian Simon, BLU CRU rider coach Jules Cluzel, technical expert Kike Bañuls, flat track guru Marco Belli, and multi-time IJSBA World Champion Chris MacClugage.
After an incredible five days, all the BLU CRU riders left Valencia not only with great memories but also with a smile firmly planted on their faces, having improved not only as riders but also as professionals.
Fabio Quartararo
Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP Team
“I have really enjoyed the two days I have spent at the Yamaha BLU CRU Master Camp. It is such an amazing event, and the BLU CRU program is something I am very proud to be a part of. To give young riders like this the chance to go from racing at the national level, all the way to WorldSBK or MotoGP, with a clear pathway and support at every step of the journey, is incredible. I wish there were something like this around when I was younger. The BLU CRU riders really impressed me, not only with their ability, but also their willingness to learn, and you could see the progress they made even just today. I believe one day, I will be racing against one of these riders in MotoGP!”
Niccolò Canepa
Yamaha Motor Europe Road Racing Sporting Manager
“What an incredible five days. The 2025 Yamaha BLU CRU Master Camp was all about giving ten young riders a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity not only to learn from the best coaches in the business, but from the biggest Yamaha stars from the world of MotoGP, Moto2, and WorldSBK. All of the BLU CRU riders shone, and every single one of them showed massive improvement throughout the week. The Yamaha BLU CRU Master Camp was not just about helping them to go faster; it was also about helping them prepare to be professional racers. It was a demanding, but fun week, and I think all of them have left Valencia as much stronger riders than when they arrived. I want to thank all the incredible coaches who put in so much effort during these five days, as well as all the Yamaha riders who came to share their experience and knowledge. I would also like to thank our partners, Total Energies, Alpinestars, Pirelli, and Oakley, as well as all the staff at JiR, for their help in organising this incredible event. We are already planning and looking forward to next year’s Yamaha BLU CRU Master Camp!”
Posted on September 2, 2025 by Michael Le Pard
