Yamaha Officially Announces Monster Energy Sponsorship

As we reported in December, energy drink producer Monster Energy has signed a sponsorship agreement with Yamaha‘s factory MotoGP program, putting its brand on the Yamaha YZR-M1 race bikes, team clothing and equipment, as well as riders Jorge Lorenzo and Valentino Rossi.

Monster Energy already had a personal sponsorship deal with Rossi but the company will now also sponsor Lorenzo. The reigning MotoGP Champion had previously had a sponsorship arrangement with rival energy drink company RockStar, but Yamaha exercised a clause in its contract with Lorenzo allowing a buy out of the RockStar deal as it conflicts with the team’s sponsor.

The new agreement with the factory team does not affect Monster Energy’s deal with Yamaha’s satellite team Tech3. The team will still be known as the Monster Energy Yamaha Tech3 team, but all four Yamaha M1s on the grid will now sport Monster Energy’s green M logo.

“Monster Energy is already a major partner to Yamaha’s top global sports activities in many domestic and international racing activities around the world in Motocross, Supercross, Endurance and Superbike disciplines,” says Lin Jarvis, managing director of Yamaha Motor Racing. “They have also been the title sponsor of the Monster Energy Tech 3 Yamaha team for the past 4 years. The expansion to include the Yamaha Factory Racing MotoGP Team is a logical and prestigious expansion of the program.”

[Source: Yamaha]

By Dennis Chung