Yamaha confirms Olivier Pain and Michael Metge for its 2015 Dakar Rally effort.
Pain, who finished third overall in the 2014 Dakar Rally, is a rider that Yamaha believes can challenge for the top step on the podium. To make that happen, Yamaha is feverishly working to improve the Yamaha WR450F Rally and provide more technical support (The technical staff will remain the same as 2014, as well as the team infrastructure.) That work will also benefit Metge, whose re-signing also comes with a bit of a promotion. Metge no longer as to play the role of support rider for the departed Cyril Despres, and he has the green light to challenge for the Dakar Rally win on his own.
Alexandre Kowalski (Yamaha Motor France Racing Director) and José Leloir (Yamaha Motor France Team Manager) at Yamaha Motor France, are of one mind when it comes to WR450F Rally and the Yamaha factory team’s Dakar effort.
“No detail has been left out to optimize the performance of the bike,” Kowalski said. “To refine and validate our technical choices, we will participate in the ‘Sardegna Rally Race (Italy)’ and ‘Rallye Oilibya du Morac (Morocco)’, both integrated in the FIM Cross Country-Rally World Championship, as well as the ‘Desafio Guarani’ (Paraguay) and ‘Desafio Inca’ (Peru) Rallies, which are run as part of the Dakar Series. The bike will remain in ‘Dakar configuration’ except in the Sardegna event, a rally that is close to enduro. Our main objective is to gather information…but Olivier and Michael work to get a podium from the first race!”
Pain said that after successively finishing 28th, 16th, 9th, 6th and 3rd in the Dakar Rally, his new goal is to get the overall win in 2015.
“I’m really excited to work on this new project with Yamaha, and we are on exactly the same wavelength,” Pain said. “Previous years, we only had one or two rallies for our preparation, but during 2014 we will race four events, and these tests will allow us to complete our physical preparation and refine our technical choices on the bike. We hope to eliminate problems that may arise due to the heat and altitude, and increase the speed while retaining the reliability of the 450F in Rally version, which was our biggest asset during the last Dakar.
“To win a race like Dakar, the real target of our sports program, every detail, even the tiniest one, must be tuned in,” Pain added. “Concerning my preparation, I’m not going to change everything but will work on all aspects in a more professional approach. I’m not ending my job in the family business as I want to keep the same life balance that makes me happy but I open a new chapter in my career with the target to win.”
Metge, who now has three rallies under his belt, says that those experiences have taught him a lot, and now it is time to make his own mark.
“Being support rider for Cyril Despres was a chance, a great option to improve through intermediate,” Metge said. “He taught me some skills and told me how to work on my weaknesses, which was a fantastic opportunity. I’m ready to maximize the experience, now liberated from my previous function. Rally is a sport to be respected and I don’t want to cut any corners but I’m ready for this, highly motivated as my dream has come true.”
Metge added that he and Pain make excellent teammates, as there is no harsh rivalry between the countrymen.
“I have known Olivier for a long time as we used to be both enduro riders and contested the Euromaster selection back in 2006,” Metge said. “We train, share comments and go ahead together, and that’s great.”
Yamaha Factory Racing Team Yamalube Race Schedule
Sardegna Rally Race (Italy)*: June 7-12
Rallye Oilibya du Morac (Morocco)* October 3-9
* part of the FIM Cross Country-Rally World Championship
Desafio Guarani Rally (Paraguay)** : July 20-24
Desafio Inca Rally (Peru)** : September 11-14
** part of the Dakar Series
2015 Dakar Rally : January 4–17, 2015
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