Yamaha Master Camp Diary
Valentino Knezovic
We caught up with Valentino Knezovic after his incredible experience at the 2025 Yamaha BLU CRU Master Camp. Tino turned 16 years old last month, and this was his first trip to Europe. It is fair to say he did it in style!
Rather than just running a straight Q&A, we’ve taken his answers and pieced them together into a structured, day-by-day account. That way, you get the full picture of what the riders got up to on and off the track, the graft, the nerves, and the fun, without missing any of the detail. Come along for the ride…
The Build-Up
First things first: the heat. Mid-30s and humid enough to drown in sweat — that set the scene for what was already going to be a nerve-wracking week.
I arrived knowing I’d be lining up against nine seriously quick riders, and sure enough, they were fast. Five of them were straight out of world championship paddocks — Alessandro Di Persio, Chris Clark, Arai Agaska, Mario Salles from the Yamaha World R3 Cup, and Natalia Riviera from the Women’s World Championship. Add to that Leonardo Marquez (Latin America R3 Cup), Rintero (All Japan AP250), and my Asia-Pacific rivals Hinata Okada and Thanakit.
If that wasn’t enough, we were told that big-name riders would turn up each day as surprise guests. Just a touch nerve-racking.
Going in, my goals were simple: learn, improve, and find out how I stacked up. By the end of the week, I’d proven to myself I was on the pace, but also realised that meant working even harder every day. These kids live on bikes. Back home in Australia, lack of tracks, money, and time makes that a tough ask, but fitness and off-bike work are areas I can control. That’s step one.
Day 1 – Tuesday 26 August
2:00pm – Hotel check-in.
4:00pm – Medicals: weight, height, heart rate at rest and on a cycle bike. Straight away, it was clear, no mucking about here. Nerves spiked through the roof. 🤣
6:00–8:00pm – Official camp launch with Stefano. Surprise guests Remy Gardner and Miguel Oliveira handed out our camp bibs, which we had to wear over leathers every time we hit the track. Meeting the other riders properly lifted the excitement.
Goodies bagged – Alpinestars Tech 7 boots, Oakley goggles and sunnies, Yamaha towel, boardies, and Master Camp shirts.
Dinner at 8:00pm.
The complex itself is mind-blowing: four circuits (Main, Flat Track, Kart, KSB). The Aspar KSB technical track at Valencia even has sprinklers overhead to simulate rain, painted sections with zero grip, and circle drills marked on the asphalt. And get this, a track day here costs around €50 (~$100), compared to up to $300 or more in Australia – which is for less than half the riding time.
Day 2 – First Riding Day (YZ85)
Morning: YZ85s with 12” motard wheels and bark busters. Five × 45-minute stints, with 15-minute breaks. Our coach, Keke, doesn’t mess around; he’s trained world champions (Alonso, Alex & Marc Márquez, etc.).
Hit a cone? Wrong technique? Crash? Push-ups. 🤣 I did two sets myself… worth it for the lessons. Not using the rear brake in the turns also meant push-ups…
Lunch break: one hour.
Afternoon: Flat track with Marco Belli, joined by Remy Gardner and Jonathan Rea. This wasn’t the flat track I knew from Aussie dirt ovals; this was on 19” rims, American tyres, and powdery dirt, making grip a rare luxury.
Everyone was new to it, except Hinata, who had some ice-track experience. The focus was on sliding and throttle control.
Day 3 – More Flat Track + Jet Skis
Morning: Flat track again, joined by Aldi Mahendra, Johnny Rea, and Alex Rins (who didn’t ride).
Lunch: Marco organised heats and a final. I finished second behind Hinata, Mario third — a blast.
Afternoon: Yamaha jet skis. First time for me, first time falling off one after hitting a wave. Absolute ball. Alex Rins joined us too.
Evening: Dinner by the beach in Valencia port.
Day 4 – First Day on Yamaha R7s (Main Circuit)
This was the big one: the R7s on the 2200 metre Aspar main circuit.
Nerves high again. First session, I got blitzed by Natalia, Di Persio, and Mario. By following them, I gained confidence.
Six sessions (three mornings, three afternoons), and by the end I felt stronger, especially after Mario gave me a tow and helped me figure out the lines.
No official times allowed, but sneaky glances showed me at 1:17.5, Di Persio at 1:15.5. Two seconds off, not bad, considering the goal was learning.
Best part: Jack Miller turned up. He gave me pointers on bike movement, rear brake use, and most importantly, told me to replay the day in my head afterwards to lock in the feelings. I did it that night, and the difference was huge the next day.
Day 5 – Back to KSB + Karting
Back on the YZ85s. Everyone was sore and exhausted, but the bike felt easier this time. My technique had improved, and compared to the R7, the 85s didn’t drain me as much.
Afternoon: Karting! Two heats, one for riders, one for staff. I qualified 12th, but with Tony Arbolino ahead of me, I latched on and climbed to 8th.
All for fun, podium went to Fabio (3rd), Mario (2nd), and Izan (1st). Staff heat was equally hilarious, with Niccolò Canepa taking a cheeky win after a few nudges.
Day 6 – Final R7 Sessions + Superpole
Three R7 sessions. The first two were free practice, the last a one-lap Superpole. Something clicked for me that morning. Riding alongside Arai, Locatelli, and Tony, I felt completely at home on the bike. Before my Superpole run, Locatelli reminded me: “Smooth is fast.” That stuck.
Heart racing, adrenaline spiking, I rolled out. My lap wasn’t perfect, but I stopped the clock at 1:15.4.
Considering I’d started the week at 1:17.5, I was stoked. Later, I saw my best session lap was actually a 1:15.1. Massive progress.
Arai and Di Persio were the benchmarks, and Di Persio took the Superpole with a 1:14.9, seriously impressive. But I finished the camp on a high note and was happy with my efforts.
Reflections
By the end of it all, I was buzzing with mixed emotions. Sad to leave behind the new friends and the Spanish lifestyle, but grateful for the opportunity.
The camp has given me fresh motivation: keep working harder, keep pushing, and aim for opportunities overseas.
I’m heading to Phillip Island this weekend with new skills, better technique, and a clearer idea of what it’ll take to reach the next level.
Huge thanks to Yamaha Blu Cru and everyone involved.
