The three-year relationship between Yamaha and PETRONAS has been brought to the end, as Yamaha MotoGP squad move into the 2012 season. The Malaysia's giant oil and gas company joined force with the MotoGP team back in 2009, when they enjoy immediate success when Valentino Rossi took his seventh title with the team that year, and due to excellent rides of team mate Jorge Lorenzo, the team was crowned constructor champion too.
PETRONAS became the prominent sponsor in 2011 after FIAT left at the end of 2010 from its position as title sponsor. In 2010, Yamaha once again triumphed the rider championship courtesy of its rider Jorge Lorenzo.
The partnership on MotoGP front started in 2009 when both parties signed a 3-year deal. The strategic partnership was a continuation from their 8 years collaboration in Asia-Pasific motorcyle championship. The new partnership at that time aimed, among others to enable the development of Yamahalube engine oil into South-East Asean region. For PETRONAS, the collaboration will enable it to continue building the position of its international lubrication business with globally successful manufacturer.
Yamaha Motor Racing MD Lin Jarvis said " The relationship between Yamaha and PETRONAS has been a great success. We have enjoyed some major achievements together in the MotoGP class. Now that the partnership has reached its natural conclusion I would like to thank our friends at PETRONAS for the support during their time with us and wish them well for the future."
PETRONAS corporate Affair Mohammad Medan Abdullah said: "We are happy to have had this opportunity to work with the Yamaha Factory Racing team over the past three years. In that time, we have enjoyed the benefits of strong brand exposure through the privilege of being associated with a team that shares our values and passion. The team has achieved many successes through a high level of competitiveness and stretched performance standards and we wish the team continued success in the future".
With the conclusion of collaboration with Yamaha, the sole remaining "global" motorsport exposure is with the Mercedes GP F1 team. It remained to be seen whether PETRONAS will continue its presence in high profile world motorsport in the future.