Besides being at the front of the field on track, the Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP Team also aspire to challenge at the top level of competition in eSports. It is therefore with great delight that the Factory Yamaha team announce their new contract with reigning double MotoGP eSport World Champion Lorenzo Daretti, also known by his gamer name Trastevere73.

The Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP hospitality was buzzing this evening as journalists from the MotoGP paddock and eSports world attended the official eSport rider media announcement. Yamaha Motor Racing’s Managing Director Lin Jarvis had the pleasure to announce that Lorenzo Daretti will be competing online as a Yamaha Factory Rider.

He introduced a video showing the highlights of Daretti’s career, securing the 2017 and 2018 MotoGP eSport Championship crowns.

Right on cue, defending World Champion Daretti entered the stage, that featured a custom Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP replica YZF-R1, sporting his race number, 58, and personal logo, ‘Trast73’.

With the support of Monster Energy, Alpinestars, Arai and Aldo Drudi, both the Italian youngster and his avatar have matching customised rider gear (leathers, boots, gloves and helmet) for the 2019 season, finishing off the complete Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP rider look. Leading gaming brand MSI will provide Lorenzo with a high performance laptop for the season.

To show just how well new recruit Daretti fits in the team, he showed off his skills on the big screens, doing a lap around Jerez on the MotoGP™18 game by Milestone, before he went on to challenge any journalists that dared to take on his eSport skills.

Valentino Rossi and Maverick Viñales joined the event at the end of the ceremony to officially welcome the third (eSport) rider to the team, who’s skills have already impressed them.

This year, eSports and MotoGP fans alike can look forward to the 19-year-old defending his eSport MotoGP World Title, as well as to his ‘One Lap Around the Track’ preview videos before every MotoGP round, which will help fans get to know the circuits better.

Furthermore, as Daretti is a biker himself, he will also participate in various Yamaha events on track. One of the first of such opportunities will be the Yamaha VR46 Master Camp in May, which was established as one of the highlight activities promoting Yamaha’s goal to support, encourage, and train young talents from around the world.