Yamaha celebrates a special anniversary

It was a very special gathering inside the MotoGP paddock at Misano on September 13 as the Yamaha family joined with the paddock and media to celebrate the 50th anniversary of its first world title with legend Phil Read.

Read took Yamaha to its first world championship aboard the RD56 250cc machine on September 13, 1964, at the Monza circuit in Italy.

To honour the occasion Read presented Masahiko Nakajima (President of Yamaha Motor Racing) and Marco Riva (General Manager of Yamaha Motor Racing) with the original 1964 world championship certificate. The certificate will now be taken to Japan to reside at Yamaha's Hall of Fame in Iwata.

“This special evening to celebrate my bringing Yamaha's first world title to them after 50 years is like coming home to the happy team, the reception has been fantastic, its overwhelming for me to see I get this recognition,” said Read. “ I'm lucky to be here after 50 years of racing! It's also thrilling to be here in Misano with Jorge on pole and Valentino so close on the front row too.

“It's a little different now, from 1964; I came to Monza with two factory 250 Yamaha RD56s in the back of my car with one English mechanic and a Japanese mechanic who came over for the race in Monza. I think we had our carburettor settings written on a postcard! I still feel as much part of the Yamaha family today as I did then, and feel privileged to have started a run of world championship success that has continued to this day.”

Read went on to win a total of eight world titles across four classes: 125, 250, 500 and 750. His career is littered with impressive achievements, including eight IOM TT race wins, 121 Grand Prix podiums and more 250cc world titles than any other rider. Alongside Mike Hailwood and Valentino Rossi, Phil is one of the only riders to have won road racing championships in three or more classes.