The information is now confirmed: The two-time World Superbike champion, James Toseland, will enter the Portugal Grand Prix with the new Yamaha fitted with pneumatic valve engine.

Colin Edwards will benefit of the same treatment and it is expected from Toseland’s teammate to continue making the same good figure, although there is an obvious gap in performance compared to the M1 Factory. This represents the team’s supreme efforts of defending their position in the race and we shall wait and see the results.

Having recovered from a bad bronchitis which has partially limited its performance at Jerez, the pianist of Sheffield is ready to catapult itself on the track for the appointment of Estroil and relates: “I very much hope that the time is a somewhat milder than in England this weekend!”

"I feel much better than Jerez, but am still being treated with antibiotics. And 'the first time at Estoril for me and I am very excited for my debut with the new 2008 Yamaha motor. Finally we can be competitive even on the long straights, which up to now we have less-than Rossi, Lorenzo and the rest of the official pilots. "


We know that the engine isn’t everything, but we do know that it is damn important and for riders who have moved from Superbike to MotoGP it should signify exactly the missing element.