Italian team JK Racing Yamaha has officially confirmed that Benoit Paturel will join the squad. The experienced French rider will already make his first appearance this weekend during the Italian Championship in Fermo.
Paturel has been brought in as a replacement for Isak Gifting, who is still recovering from an injury. In addition to the Italian Championship race, the Frenchman will also compete in the upcoming MXGP rounds in France and Germany.
For now, the agreement only covers these selected events, but strong results could potentially lead to a longer stay with the team later in the season.
Paturel is no stranger to Yamaha machinery. In the past, he enjoyed some of his best years aboard the blue bikes, including during his time in the official Yamaha MX2 program. More recently, he raced for the De Baets Yamaha Team in the MXGP World Championship before moving to the American AMA Pro Motocross Championship last season.
With his return, an experienced name also returns to the MXGP paddock. The upcoming races will be important for Paturel as he aims to prove himself once again at the highest level and hopes to earn a more permanent opportunity for the future.
Riccardo Boschi (JK Racing Team Owner):
“Benoit asked me if we had a spot available while Isak is recovering, and he told me he would really like to ride for us. For Yamaha Italy, the Italian Championship is very important. We already missed two races, so he will start in the Italian Championship and then we’ll see how things go. In any case, he will also ride two Grand Prix races for us. I think this is a positive step for him because he can measure himself against the other riders again. On top of that, we are back with a 450cc machine, which is something we currently lacked.”
