Record Number of Competitors Ready to Race at YXZ1000R SuperFinale
The fourth edition of the YXZ1000R European Cup SuperFinale will see 27 crews from over nine countries battle it out for glory across two classes at the Baja Portalegre 500 in Portugal from the 26th to the 28th of October.
The 2023 SuperFinale continues the growth of the series with a record number of teams taking part as it pits the top YXZ1000R drivers and co-drivers from their respective National Cups in Spain, Portugal, Germany, Italy, France, and the United Kingdom against each other to see who will come out on top.
Taking place at the 37th edition of the Baja Portalegre 500, the sixth round of the 2023 FIA World Cup for Cross-Country Bajas, the SuperFinale runs concurrently alongside the main event, with the crews split into two different categories depending on their type of vehicle: the Stock class and the Open Challenge.
This year, 15 teams are racing in the Stock class, which is for crews running a standard GYTR-kitted YXZ1000R, and they will be fighting for the ultimate prize of €15,000 to be used for competition in the prestigious 2024 FIA European Cup for Cross-Country Bajas.
On top of this, 12 crews will participate in the Open Challenge, designed for teams racing a modified vehicle, while one of the crews will also be competing in the FIA Auto category, showcasing the competitiveness of the YXZ1000R.
Highlighting the growing success of the Cup, the 2023 SuperFinale not only features a record number of entrants but also a significant increase in younger competitors, an all-female crew, plus a team from a French university that will be racing an experimental electric-powered YXZ1000R that was developed with assistance from Yamaha.
The action in Portalegre gets underway with the ceremonial start on Thursday evening before the racing kicks off on Friday, with the teams facing the task of mastering over 500km of challenging terrain over the next two days before the winners are crowned on Saturday evening.
Camelia Liparoti
Yamaha Motor Europe ROV Racing Coordinator
“The YXZ1000R European Cup was started in 2019 to give people a structured and supported way to join the Yamaha SSV Racing Family. Each year, we have seen the interest in the Cup grow, and for 2023, we are delighted to welcome a record number of crews. For the teams, it is the highlight of the season, and they have earned the right to race in the SuperFinale after battling it out in their respective National Cups all year. I am particularly delighted with the number of young drivers and co-drivers participating this year; it shows the success of the project. We also have an all-female team this year and a crew racing an electric-engined YXZ1000R for the first time. It should be an amazing event, and I wish all the competitors the best of luck.”
