Prior to Razgatlioglu joining BMW, Yamaha maintained the stance that promoting young talent to the factory team was🍨 their main prio♌rity.

But when the Japanese manufacturer lost ♑the 2021 world champion, it became clear that securing another elite ᩚᩚᩚᩚᩚᩚ⁤⁤⁤⁤ᩚ⁤⁤⁤⁤ᩚ⁤⁤⁤⁤ᩚ𒀱ᩚᩚᩚrider was needed.

• Rea on joining Yamaha: “It all boils down to the fact💟 I need some🌟thing new” 
• Gardner: “I hope I still remember how to riꩵde a bike”

MotoGP stars Johann Zarco and Franco Morbidelli were rumoured as targets for Yamaha, but Paul Den๊ning has admitted Re💞a was their top target.  

"First of all, we have to go back to the loss of Toprak which was a big disappointment, and to replace a rider of Toprak’s skill level, you have to start at the꧒ very top of the list," said the Pata Yamaha Team Principal. 

"Luckily, we didn’t have to work our way down very far and we achieved our first target. We’re delighted to do that; it’s been a real team effort 💦in terms of Yamaha Motor Europe, and everyone involved in the process. 

"It’s a nice story in the end which is of cour♐se exciting for us and Yamaha but also for the Championship. 

"We’re lucky that it’s a six-time World Champion who s💖eems to be highly motivated and as passionate about winning another Championship as he’s ever been."

Rea and Kawasaki w🎉on six Superbike titles on the bꦇounce and for a long time were an unbeatable force.

But Ducati and Yamaha have overt🦋aken the Japanese brand in the last few years which is why Rea felt the need to move and begin a new challenge, something Yamaha are also doing by signing the N🍒orthern Irishman.

"I can’t speak for Jonny but the rea🌠son for the move is purely to perform better," added Denning. "Hopefully on the 𝔉technical side, we can give him something that is a step ahead. 

"His target is clearly to win another Championship and this time in b🤡lue. He brings a huge rebound from the loss of Toprak into something that we couldn’t even imagine would be this exciting and motivating for the team. 

"Just by him agreeing toܫ join us, it gives everyone the development and operational side a fres𒁏h motivation. I don’t see any difficulties in how he can fit in."