Yamaha announces new sponsor

Yamaha has just signed a two-year deal with the tobacco giant Altadis to sponsor its factory MotoGP squad.

Altadis is the parent company to Fortuna, Spain’s number one selling brand of cigarettes. The team will be known as Fortuna Yamaha.

The new team has also confirmed its rider line-up. Newly-crowned world 250 champion Marco Melandri replaces the outgoing Max Biaggi alongside Carlos Checa on the M1.