Steve Martin’s British Yamaha connection

After testing the British Superbikes Virgin Yamaha R1 last week, Australian Steve Martin is still waiting to hear if he will join the British squad later in the year.

Meanwhile the 37-year-old Australian has kept himself busy commentating on World Superbikes for the world feed at both Silverstone and Misano.

Steve Martin will be at Brno this weekend concentrating on commentating, but there are provisional plans that could see him in action two weeks later at the Brands Hatch World Superbikes race where he is provisionally scheduled to ride for the Team Yamaha YZF team alongside Shinichi Nakatomi.

Martin completed a two day test with the team last month onboard a relatively stock R1 but has been assured that he will have a much higher spec of bike for the race.

Martin’s link with Yamaha now extends even further than World Superbikes and British Superbikes.

Having tested the World Super Sport factory Supersport R6, the experienced former Foggy Petronas rider will also compete in the prestigious Suzuka 8-hour race in Japan for the Yamaha Austria squad.

He said: “I’ve had a number of years experience motorcycle racing and have ridden every make of bike; two, three and four cylinders, Superbike, 500GP and Supersport.

Given this I know how a bike should feel and what feedback a team needs in order to make the package work, so it’s been great that I’ve really been able to use my skills to experience over the last few months and also that they have been recognised and wanted by teams.

“Out of all the bikes and teams that I have tested for this year, I was most impressed by what the Virgin Yamaha team have accomplished in terms of bike set-up and also team dynamics, and I clicked well with both elements.

”I only got to lap Donington for an hour during the lunch break of a track day, but it was enough to let me know that things just seemed to click, that the R1 was fast, steered well.

“I’m still not sure what I will be doing in the future. I don’t want to rush into any decisions and end up in another situation like at the start of this season.

“But I have options which is the positive thing and so I’ll need to assess these over the next few weeks.”