Josh Brookes to race Assen IDM round
Josh Brookes gets chance to ride IDM Superbike at Assen ahead of the British Superbike Championship round at the Dutch circuit
Following the unfortunate recent injuries sustained by Team Yamaha MGM riders Max Neukirchner and Damian Cudlin in the Superbike IDM German Superbike Championship, Yamaha will field three new replacement riders for the next two upcoming rounds.
As the European Superstock 1000 FIM Cup takes its summer break, British Superbike Championship contender Josh Brookes will join the team, as will MotoAmerica Superbike rider Cameron Beaubier. MRS Yamaha rider Kev Coghlan will also step in alongside.
The three riders are more than familiar with the YZF-R1M and YZF-R1 and have proved this season that they can be key protagonists in their respective series.
Josh Brookes comes fresh from a double victory last weekend in BSB, the Australian currently sits in second place in the standings, just five points from the leader.
Round ten of the British Superbike Championship will be staged at Assen on the weekend of September 20, thus the IDM appearance will also serve as a great testing ground for Brookes at the Dutch circuit.
Coghlan has enjoyed a promising season in the Superstock 1000 Cup on the YZF-R1M, and currently holds fifth place with two races remaining after the summer break. Beaubier has proved the YZF-R1 is almost untouchable in the MotoAmerica Series, his only real challenge coming from his four-time and defending AMA Superbike teammate Josh Hayes on the same machinery. Beaubier and Hayes are currently tied for the lead of the Championship, 81 points clear of their closest rival.
Coghlan and Beaubier will join forces for the next round on the 2nd of August in Schleizer Dreieck, Germany and then Brookes will team up with Coghlan for the following round at Assen in the Netherlands on 9th August. Both Neukirchner and Cudlin are expected to return to challenge for the last race of the season on 27th September at the Hockenheimring.
“Whilst it’s disappointing to have both Yamaha MGM riders out of action with injuries we are happy that they will both make a full recovery and be back on form soon,” commented Yamaha Motor Europe’s Road Racing Project Manager, Andrea Dosoli. “In the meantime we are fortunate to have three exceptionally talented Yamaha riders available to step in and fill the gaps. Kev, Josh and Cameron have shown great form so far this season in their classes on the new YZF-R1 so I have total confidence that they will hit the ground running in the IDM Championship and continue to show the true potential of the all-new YZF-R1.”
