Cyril Despres To Pursue Four-Wheel Rally Career

Five-time Dakar Rally Motorcycle Champion Cyril Despres to switch from Yamaha to Peugeot.

Yamaha Motor Europe has announced that five-time Dakar Rally Motorcycle Champion Cyril Despres of France is leaving his position as a team rider to pursue a four-wheel career in rally-raid racing with the factory Peugeot team.

Despres, who joined the factory Yamaha squad in 2013, recording three stage wins and finishing fourth overall motorcycle in the Dakar Rally, was on the verge of re-signing with Yamaha when Peugeot came calling. That said, he will remain associated with the factory team as a dvelopment rider, a team advisor, and he may occasionally compete aboard a factory Yamaha at select, non-conflicting races.

“Peugeot Sport offered me a place as a driver on their new rally-raid project,” Despres said. “Such an opportunity only comes once in a career! However, because I made a commitment with Yamaha and Eric de Seynes, I will make sure I continue to share my knowledge and experience with the young Yamaha rally-raid riders. Peugeot have allowed me the possibility to train on a motorcycle and to take part in two or three races per year with a Yamaha enduro bike.”

Eric de Seynes, Operational Director of Yamaha Motor Europe, said that team certainly understands Peugeot’s desire to land Despres, and he respects the Frenchman’s wish to shift to this new phase in his career.

“For sure, we had some shared ambitions with Cyril, who is a great competitor, so this opportunity of his means we will have to adapt our plans moving forward,” de Seynes said. “But we have a strong rally team, a very competitive motorcycle, professional assistance, and we will have competitive riders with the objective for victory in 2014/15. Cyril will remain in the world of motorcycles as a motorcycle ambassador of Yamaha and will bring us his support as we continue to challenge for off-road glory with our rally-raid development program.”