Hodgson and Linfoot get works Yamahas

Motorpoint Yamaha duo Neil Hodgson and Dan Linfoot have got the works R1s that Leon Camier and James Ellison raced to a resounding 1-2 in the 2009 British Superbike championship.   

In a shock and secret last-minute deal, the team took delivery of the bikes just two weeks ago and began four days of testing at Cartagena yesterday. Neil Hodgson said: “It’s early days but I’m over the moon with my bike. The step-up is impressive.”

The R1s are not exactly the same spec as last year’s title winners. The rolling chassis is all factory, with top-spec Ohlins suspension as raced in 2009. However,  the factory engines had reached the limit of their mileage and have been replaced with the engines developed in-house by the Motorpoint team in Scunthorpe and, according to team boss Rob McElnea, actually make more power than the works engines.

The team has also replaced the complex Marelli electronics package with their own Motec system that they have developed over several seasons and are more conversant with.

Linfoot was also delighted with the new bike and said: “It’s a Yamaha but that’s about the only thing that’s the same as before. I’m loving it.”