The Yamaha R3 bLU cRU European Championship revs up for 2023 season start
A new season gets underway in the Yamaha R3 bLU cRU European Championship in the Netherlands at the iconic TT Circuit Assen
The Yamaha R3 bLU cRU European Championship is about to return for its third season, with the calendar kicking off at the TT Circuit Assen from April 21st – 23rd alongside the third round of the 2023 MOTUL FIM Superbike World Championship.
This season will see a total of 20 full time riders battle it out to win the title and a much-coveted place in the FIM Supersport 300 World Championship for 2024, with numerous wildcard entries also sure to be present throughout the six round season which includes Barcelona, Misano, Donington, Imola and Magny-Cours as well as the opening event at Assen. These 20 young hopefuls represent 12 different countries from almost every corner of the globe, and all were born between 2004 and 2008.
Last season was hotly contested as the youngsters fought hard to prove their abilities and continue on the path to the bigger classes of the FIM Superbike World Championship. The eventual title winner was Brazil’s Enzo Valentim, who secured a fully supported Yamaha ride in the FIM World Supersport 300 class, where he will once again do battle with his season-long title rival Devis Bergamini. Meanwhile, last year’s contenders Krittapat Keankum, Marc Vich, Dawid Novak, Eduardo Burr, Kevin Fontainha, and Gustavo Manso all return for another season in the R3 bLU cRU European Championship.
All the riders recently completed a two-day induction and test session at the Misano World Circuit “Marco Simoncelli”, where they were paired with their machines, given advice and guidance, and met Yamaha professional racers, Franco Morbidelli and Andrea Locatelli. They will next take to the track on Friday in Assen for FP1, after safety briefings and circuit familiarisation on Thursday. A 30-minute free practice session will be followed by a qualifying session of the same length, and on Saturday the young stars will contest their first two races of the season.
This latest season of the R3 bLU cRU European Championship is sure to unearth fresh talent, bring tense and exciting races, and keep everybody in suspense until the final flag. You can follow all the action throughout the season via the WorldSBK website and keep up to date on the go via the WorldSBK app, as well as via the Yamaha bLU cRU Official social media channels on Instagram and TikTok.
