Yamaha doffs helmet to late Fabrizio Pirovano with stunning WorldSBK R1 replica

The WorldSBK Championship is racing in Estoril for the first time in 27 years so to mark the occasion Yamaha has turned back time by revealing a special replica YZF-R1 in honour of the late Fabrizio Pirovano.

One of the leading contenders during the early seasons of WorldSBK, Pirovano competed with Yamaha for much of his tenure in the series, including its inaugural campaign in 1988.

In the six seasons he raced in distinctive white, pink and blue hues, Pirovano was a multiple race winner, securing all 10 wins with the manufacturer before a switch to Ducati in 1994.

In fact, before Ben Spies’ 2009 success, Pirovano came closer than anyone securing Yamaha’s first WorldSBK title by finishing runner-up in both 1988 and 1990.

Pirovano passed away in 2016 after a long battle with cancer, but while he is gone he most certainly isn’t forgotten, with Yamaha celebrating the return to Estoril with a replica R1 that nods to the distinctive YZF750 model he took to victory in Portugal in what would be his final race winning success.

As the press release states, Pirovano’s legacy and memory remains strong in the Yamaha team of today.

“Many members of the current Yamaha racing family have close ties with Fabrizio Pirovano and remember the Italian racer fondly.

“None more so than Yamaha's WorldSBK Track Technical Coordinator Alberto Colombo was his mechanic during his early motocross and WorldSBK racing years together with Mauro Saleppico, who is now responsible for MotoGP engine assembly at Yamaha Motor Racing. 

“Yamaha Motor Racing General Manager, Marco Riva, and Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP Team Director, Massimo Meregalli, were both close personal friends of Fabrizio, while Yamaha Motor Europe Road Racing Manager Andrea Dosoli grew up near to Pirovano's home and his passion for motorsport was ignited by the WorldSBK star.”