Rev2Race Yamaha, the official Yamaha Motor UK supported team in the all-new Pirelli National Sportbike Championship, has announced a four strong rider line-up ahead of the inaugural 2024 season.
The Rev2Race Yamaha team is spearheaded by the knowledgeable and experienced engine builder, Kev Stephenson, with Jacob Stephenson, Harrison Dessoy, Joshua Proudfoot and Anthony Eagle lining up for the team.
18-year-old Dessoy has spent recent years competing in the R&G British Talent Cup. Last season, he won multiple races and competed in two rounds of the FIM Junior World Championship.
At 16 years old, Stephenson is the youngest rider at Rev2Race Yamaha and joins the team as a British Junior Supersport race winner and finished fourth in the championship in 2023. Stephenson has experience of racing the R7, having competed in the No Limits Super Twins class last year, taking several victories and finishing second in the championship.
2023 was a first year in competition for 25-year-old,Proudfoot, having mounted a successful debut campaign aboard an R7 in the No Limits Super Twins championship, he ended the year in fifth overall.
Hailing from Tashkent in Uzbekistan, 18-year-old Eagle joins the team as he returns to the UK. After competing for multiple years in Malaysia, Eagle made his first appearance in the UK in 2021 and after heading to Malaysia to race a 600 last year, he is back to compete in the all-new Championship.
Dessoy said: “The R7 is very different to what I’ve been used to for the last few years. It’s a completely new and different ball game, but that just means there’s more things to be excited for. At Round 1, I want to kick off hard and get going straight away with some good results. I know that if I work in the right way with myself both mentally and on the bike, I’ll be able to ride in a good way.
“Being part of the bLU cRU, as well as being a rider in the official Yamaha UK supported team will be great, it’ll paint a good image for all the riders moving through the season. With Kev and the Rev2Race Yamaha team, the backing is there, and it’s nice to see that I’m in a good place with the team and everyone I’ll be surrounded by.”
Stephenson said: "I'm looking forward to the season. I know that the R7 is going to be strong, we just need to take our time and towards the end of the season, try and have a big push. I'm grateful for the support from Yamaha, they've done a lot for us so far and it'll be nice to see it all pay off when we get to round one. Working with the other bLU cRU riders will be good, all the riders can share data, so we'll have a lot of advantage in that sense. I'd like to start the season in the top eight, and hopefully, by the end of the year we should be on the podium and winning races."
Proudfoot added: “Given the fact that I was a novice last year, 2024 is going to be a big step. My aspirations are to keep progressing throughout the year, making Yamaha and the Rev2Race team proud by being a consistent point scorer and maybe even achieving one or two podiums in wet conditions. Kev has been around for a long time, he knows what he’s doing and is a great person to have as a manager. The R7 is a good package to be on, it’s fun to ride and should do well. In terms of progression, being a part of the bLU cRU team will align with that, I’ll be able to see what the top riders are doing and try my best to replicate it.”
As well as becoming the official Yamaha Motor UK supported team within the series, Rev2Race have also been named as the MSVR-approved supplier of homologated R7 components within the Championship. Rev2Race will also be providing all R7 riders with invaluable guidance, from set-up advice to technical support, while also stocking a full collection of R7 race-ready parts, available to purchase trackside at a race-discounted price. The team are also committed to a full data-sharing relationship with all R7 riders in the championship.
The Rev2Race Yamaha team and the remaining R7 riders within the category will also be provided with a 'bLU cRU' care package, featuring a selection of Paddock Blue clothing, exclusive access to track walks, track guides from BSB riders, as well as media coverage via Yamaha's UK Racing channels.
Yamaha Motor UK’s support to R7 competitors within the Sportbike championship will also see the first running of the bLU cRU R7 Cup UK, in which registered R7 riders will compete for a space at the European R7 SuperFinale – where the highest placed R7 rider (T&Cs apply) will be invited to fight it out for a brand new R7 motorcycle with some of the hottest R7 talents from across Europe.
Rev2Race Team Principal Kev Stephenson commented: “I’m looking forward to getting started now, it seems like the build-up to the season has been taking forever! I’ve worked with Yamaha a lot over the course of my career. They’re a great manufacturer to work for and after working on the development of the R7 over the last couple of years, when this new championship was announced it made sense to run a team.
“We’ve got four talented young riders from very different backgrounds, so I’m really excited to see what each of them can do. At the same time, I’m also looking forward to working with the other Yamaha riders in the championship and providing the support necessary to ensure Yamaha are at the sharp end weekend in, weekend out. With a lot of testing under our belt, I would say that we’re better prepared for this year than anyone else. If we don’t win the championship, I’ll be disappointed – we’re going there to win.”