Peerapong Loiboonpeng (Thailand), Galang Hendra Pratama (Indonesia), Soichiro Manimimoto (Japan), Kasma Daniel Bin Kasmayudin (Malaysia), Imanuel Putra Pratna (Indonesia) will start the Yamaha VR46 The Master Camp. During this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity they will receive instructions and guidance both on- an off-track from experts in the racing industry, such as living MotoGP™ legend Valentino Rossi, with the goal of improving their racing skills.
The five Yamaha VR46 The Master Camp riders arrived in Italy on June 30th and soaked in as much information as possible when they were given a special tour at Yamaha Motor Racing Srl‘s headquarters in Gerno di Lesmo the next day, to learn about Yamaha‘s 'Kando' philosophy and its racing heritage.
"Rossi is my idol; watching him on TV is what inspired me to start racing motorcycles"On July second they travelled to Cattolica where they received a medical check and were free to prepare themselves for the exciting program ahead. Over the next five days the young talent will bring their racing skills to new heights as they follow an intensive schedule of on- and off-track training. Their progress will be documented throughout the week on Yamaha VR46 The Master Camp‘s social media channels, with live updates on their training progress.
New friends and good food during dinner with the @VRRidersAcademy. #theExperience pic.twitter.com/vPWFWnBAYl
— YamahaVR46MasterCamp (@TheMasterCamp) July 3, 2016
Peerapong Loiboonpeng (Thailand): “I‘m aiming to win the title this season but, from where I am in the points, it looks like it‘ll be difficult. However, I won‘t give up. I have the support of my team and I‘m making steady progress. I already admired Rossi before I even started racing, but now that I actually am a racer, the way he rides and more, all become good examples for me to follow. I want to up my skills and learn to ride like Rossi so that I can someday race in MotoGP.”
Galang Hendra Pratama (Indonesia): “My aim this season is to constantly be on the podium and to eventually secure the title. I want to be a top contender in MotoGP in the future – that‘s all I think about. That‘s why I‘m really excited to be able to meet Rossi, who has been a factory MotoGP rider for so long. I‘m really looking forward to riding together with him and learning from him.”
Soichiro Manimimoto (Japan): “My target this season is to stand on the podium, but I‘m always racing with the intent to win. My goal for the future is to be a top rider in MotoGP. Rossi is an amazing rider and I really admire him, but I want to someday become good enough to beat him.”
Kasma Daniel Bin Kasmayudin (Malaysia): “My target for this season is to finish in the top six. My goal for the future is to become a rider capable of competing at the highest level, and race in Moto3, Moto2 and eventually MotoGP. I‘ve been a fan of Rossi since I was little, and I even met him once when I was 14 at the Malaysia GP in Sepang. I‘m so glad that I‘ll have the chance to ride together with him and I can‘t wait to get started!”
Imanuel Putra Pratna (Indonesia): “The target of this season is to try and stand on as many podiums and win as many races as I can. For the future, I want to race in MotoGP. Rossi is my idol; watching him on TV is what inspired me to start racing motorcycles in the first place and he‘s also what motivates me to keep racing for years to come.”