International Field set to do Battle in R3 bLU cRU European SuperFinale in Portimão
The second edition of the Yamaha R3 bLU cRU European SuperFinale will see 23 riders from across the globe race at Round 11 of the FIM Superbike World Championship in Portimão on the 28th-30th of September for the chance to win one of two spots on the grid for the 2024 Yamaha R3 bLU cRU European Championship.
The 2023 Yamaha R3 bLU cRU European SuperFinale, open to riders aged 14-18, will bring together the top 23 youngsters from Italy, Spain, France, The Netherlands, and Germany, along with seven of the most promising talents from Thailand, Brazil and Australia, making it a truly global event.
The SuperFinale itself will form a fundamental part of the Portugal WorldSBK race weekend, with the competitors getting the opportunity to fight it out over two races for the chance to progress full-time to the 2024 Yamaha R3 bLU cRU European Championship with Yamaha support.
Yamaha’s bLU cRU program is an award-winning platform that forms the foundation of the Yamaha Racing pyramid and is designed to cultivate the next generation of young riding talent in road and off-road racing.
It creates a professional environment featuring coaching, technical support, and mentoring from some of the biggest names in racing to encourage, develop, and nurture the stars of tomorrow while providing an uninterrupted career path from national to world championship level, with over 600 youngsters benefitting from the scheme in 2023.
The Yamaha R3 bLU cRU European SuperFinale is an excellent example of this, with the winner in 2022, Emiliano Ercolani, going on to be crowned as the 2023 R3 bLU cRU European Champion. The 18-year-old Italian will step up to the FIM Supersport 300 World Championship next season with a fully supported Yamaha ride.
The youngsters who will compete in Portugal have been selected after impressing all season in their national R3 Cups and Challenges, and they will now have a chance to showcase their skills on the world stage as they aim to emulate Ercolani’s success.
After arriving at Portimão on Thursday and setting up in the exclusive bLU cRU village, the competitors will get acquainted with the 4.653km rollercoaster Portimão Circuit during the official track walk, with bLU cRU Rider Coach Lorenzo Alfonsi on hand to give them expert advice about how to tackle one of the most demanding circuits in the world.
They will then take to the track for the first time on Friday morning for a 30-minute Free Practice session before the all-important qualifying takes place later in the afternoon, with each finalist also getting the chance to participate in the WorldSBK Paddock show in front of the enthusiastic Portuguese fans. The 23 youngsters will then have two races on Saturday to showcase their skills in front of the WorldSBK paddock, with 25 points up for grabs in each.
The overall winner, plus another top-performing rider selected by Yamaha Motor Europe, will fulfil their dreams and win an automatic place, with full Yamaha support, in the 2024 Yamaha R3 bLU cRU European Championship, which will take place at selected WorldSBK rounds throughout the year.
Both races will be broadcast live on the big screens around the WorldSBK paddock, while video highlights will be available on the Yamaha Racing YouTube channel. You can also follow the action over the race weekend via the Yamaha Racing website and dedicated bLU cRU social media channels.
Paolo Pavesio
Director, Marketing and Motorsport, Yamaha Motor Europe
“The Yamaha R3 bLU cRU European SuperFinale provides an ideal opportunity for the best young racers from the various national R3 series worldwide to experience racing on the world stage alongside the WorldSBK stars. Regardless of their results, every single one of the 23 riders that take part will leave Portimão with memories that will last them a lifetime. But the R3 bLU cRU European SuperFinale also allows us to assess the talent we have racing at national level and then reward that talent with supported rides in the following season’s R3 bLU cRU European Championship. It’s a system that works, as illustrated by last year’s SuperFinale winner, Emiliano Ercolani, going on to be crowned as R3 bLU cRU European Champion this season. We have some incredibly talented youngsters racing the R3, and the SuperFinale is their chance to showcase this talent on the world stage. I cannot wait to be at the racetrack to see them in action.”
