Tech 3 to Split from Yamaha in 2019

MotoGP privateer team Tech 3 has ben Yamaha’s satellite team for 18 years. However, their partnership will soon come to an end at the conclusion of the 2018 season. Herve Poncharal’s team has fielded Yamaha bikes since the team’s debut in 2001. However, he made it clear that they have secured a new partner for 2019 but did not specify the manufacturer.

Tech 3’s options are limited to Suzuki, KTM and Aprilia as the 3 are keen on making at least two bikes available for a satellite team for 2019. On the current MotoGP grid, there are eight Ducatis, six Honda and four Yamahas, while KTM, Suzuki and Aprilia field two works bikes each.

Herve Poncharal said, “Tech3 is a small company, which has to think about the future and has to weigh the different options. We’ve been offered a deal, that includes something we’ve been waiting for almost since we started with Tech3 and I couldn’t say no. But obviously, we are the Monster Yamaha Team until the last lap of the Valencia GP 2018.”

Prior to the announcement, Poncharal said that Yamaha were interested in pursuing Valentino Rossi’s VR46 operation. According to him, the manufacturer said that Rossi’s outfit would get priority over Tech3 as the Yamaha satellite team. But only if Rossi chooses to enter a team in the premier class.

Yamaha’s motorsport general manager Kouichi Tsuji said that Tech 3 themselves took the decision to part. He said, “Very recently we were informed by Herve Poncharal, the owner of Tech3, that he has decided not to extend his contract with Yamaha to lease YZR-M1 bikes. After discussions with Herve it was clear that he has chosen to align with a new partner for the future and therefore, regretfully, we were obliged to respect and accept his decision. The end of such a successful partnership is always a bit sad, as it also marks the end of a long-term relationship.

Tsuji continued, “We are very grateful for Herve’s loyalty and support to the Yamaha brand and for the excellent results obtained throughout that time. We will continue to provide our full support to the Tech3 team and their riders throughout the 2018 season, while we simultaneously evaluate our options for an alternative team in the MotoGP World Championship class for 2019 and beyond.”

Tech 3 Yamaha enter the new season with a relatively inexperience lineup consisting of Johann Zarco and Hafizh Syahrin. a late replacement for the illness-sidelined Jonas Folger.

While Yamaha’s factory team has endured a frustrating MotoGP pre-season so far, Zarco has had a largely trouble-free winter and been among the frontrunners in testing at both Sepang and Buriram.