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SBK, Yamaha prepares for post-Toprak: more than one million euros to invest without squandering

Replacing Toprak is a difficult task and by going in search of big names, Yamaha risks giving rise to a bidding war in the negotiations, paying a new rider more than his real value. 2024 could therefore become a transitional season waiting for the new R1 that is rumoured to arrive for 2025

SBK: Yamaha prepares for post-Toprak: more than one million euros to invest without squandering

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Toprak's move to BMW has shuffled the cards at Yamaha, because there is now a vacant seat for next year. On the market front, the first names of those who could take the place of the Turk on the R1 are obviously starting to emerge and from here to the announcement we are convinced that our readers will not get bored.

There is no shortage of rumours and amid doubts and questions there is however one certainty: with Toprak's farewell, Yamaha now has a treasure trove of over one million euros. A significant figure available to the manufacturer that can be used to plan its future in the best possible way.

In recent years, looking at the work of Andrea Dosoli and considering the philosophy of the manufacturer, we have seen a Yamaha that has never gone in search of the big name on the market. Indeed, it has always tried to invest in house as happened with Andrea Locatelli and Dominique Aegerter, who arrived in SBK after a growth path matured in SuperSport.

Obviously Yamaha, given the budget available, could certainly go in search of a top rider, but the risk is that of sitting down at the negotiating table and paying a new rider much more than his real market worth, precisely because his manager will raise the stakes aware of what the manufacturer actually has available.

Considering that with Toprak’s farewell more than a million euros have been saved, the priority is therefore not to squander the money available. Therefore this could be used to invest in testing and development with an eye to 2025, given that in recent weeks there has been a lot of talk about the arrival of the new R1, which is the bike that Toprak dreamed of already having this season, but which unfortunately he did not get.

On the rider front, however, Yamaha could easily continue to make the best of what it has in house, namely Gardner and Aegerter. Neither of them are Toprak, but Dominique has shown major steps forward in this start of the season to the point that he has become best independent rider after just four rounds and is showing a very strong motivation with the colours of GRT.

On the other side of the garage, however, Gardner is trying to make the R1 increasingly tailor-made for him, recalling the contractual option available which he enjoys for next season.

Looking at what the manufacturer’s philosophy has been in recent years, after Toprak it could start building a future in house. Obviously, if there is a big opportunity, as happened last year with Gardner, we are convinced that they won't let it slip away.

 

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