2011 MOTOCROSS SIGNING NEWS: A VICTIM OF THE 23-YEAR-OLD GP MOTOCROSS RULE, STEVEN FROSSARD SIGNS WITH TEAM YAMAHA FOR 450 CLASS



Frossard has to move out of the 250 class because he is 23-years-old.

The Yamaha Monster Energy motocross Team will expand to accommodate three riders for the 2011 FIM Motocross World Championship with the acquisition of 23-year-old French motocrosser Steven Frossard. Frossard will race a YZ450F in the 450 GP category. For the first time since 2005 the Italian-based team will concentrate their efforts on a three-rider motocross roster split between two classes as Frossard makes his 450 GP debut alongside 2008 World champion David Philippaerts (GP winner and third-ranked motocoss racer in the 2010 series) and will also share the awning with countryman and 250GP representative Gautier Paulin.
 
Frossard has been one of the main protagonists in the  250GP series for the last three seasons and has been a regular face on the podium as one of the fastest men in the competition. Hailing from Marseille, Frossard claimed his first GP victory in 2010 and picked up five other trophies on his way to third in the final classification. “It is great to be joining a team like Yamaha Monster Energy MX in my first season in the 450 class,” said Frossard, who expects to start riding at the end of October. “When someone like Michele Rinaldi and his crew show an interest in you then it is a big compliment because the amount of titles they have speaks for itself. I will have to learn about the bike and the secrets of racing in MX1 and I plan to work hard over the winter to do the very best I can in 2011.”

The Frenchman’s potential has been eyed by Yamaha Motor Europe and YRRD Principal Michele Rinaldi and Yamaha are pleased to welcome the rider into MX1-GP with the best equipment and resources the works effort has available. “We are really pleased to be able to expand the team and have a rider like Steven with his ability to join David on the YZ450F,” said Rinaldi. “We had a busy season in 2010 developing the brand new technology from Yamaha and also working closely with Ohlins for the first time in many years. We made some important and successful progress and now we will be able to count on the information from two riders to remain competitive and at the top of  450 GP. Together with Gautier we have three very capable riders for 2011 and I think it will be an exciting adventure for all of us. I would like to thank Yamaha Motor Europe and our sponsors, especially Monster Energy for letting the team and Yamaha’s presence in the FIM world championship grow.”

Frossard burst to prominence in the 2008 FIM 250 World Championship where he gained his first podium results (two, in Germany and Ireland) and announced himself as a candidate for future wins. He also claimed the French Elite crown the same season having won the 250cc equivalent three years before. In 2009 he led a Grand Prix for the first time, grabbed his maiden moto chequered flags (Bulgaria and Germany) and was runner-up on three occasions of his four rostrum appearances to take sixth in the world. Frossard also represented his country for the first time at the Motocross of Nations. He beat his World Championship position by three ranks in 2010 and also vastly improved his sand riding.

STEVEN FROSSARD SPECIFICATION
Birthday: 7/14/1987
Residence: Marseille
Height: 179cm
Weight: 71kg
Career Highlights:
2011: First season in  250 GP, first with Yamaha
2010: 3rd in 250 GP World Championship, winner of Swedish GP
2009: 6th 250 GP World Championship
2008: 10th 250 GP World Championship/French Elite Championship
2007: 26th 250 GP World Championship
2006: 2nd European Championship 250
2005: French Junior Champion 250
2004: 2nd French Junior Championship 250
2003: 15th French Junior Championship
2002: 11th 85cc European championship

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