Yamaha Inks Two Year Agreement With David Philippaerts

The Yamaha Motocross Team has agreed with the Italian star rider  David Philippaerts to
ride their factory YZ450FM in the MX1 world  championship for 2008 and 2009.

Next year David will race alongside present MX1 world championship  leader Joshua
Coppins to defend the Yamaha Motocross Team’s leading  position in the premier
motocross class, mixing Coppins’ vast MX1  GP winning experience with Philippaerts’
youthful aggression and  future promise. Yamaha are still discussing with current
Yamaha  Motocross Team rider Marc de Reuver about the continuation of their 
relationship.

Before his rise to GP stardom Philippaerts was racing with Yamaha  machinery and the
guidance of 1999 Yamaha MX500 world champion  Andrea Bartolini, who now currently is
test rider for the Yamaha  Motocross Team. In 2004 David made his fulltime debut in the
MX2  class finishing his first year 19th overall. The following year his  progress was
quick and impressive, winning his first GP in France  (round nine), followed by a
further win in South Africa. Last  season David’s results further improved and he
finished third  overall, adding four more MX2 GP victories achieved in Bulgaria, 
Italy, UK and the Czech Republic to his tally.

In 2007 Philippaerts made a very successful switch to MX1 and  currently holds fourth
position overall, the result of three GP  podiums including one win at Teutschenthal,
Germany

Profile
Name: David Philippaerts

Date of Birth: 7 December 1983

Nationality: Italian
  Career highlights
2006: 3rd MX2 World Championship, 2nd Italian International  Championship

2005: 4th MX2 World Championship

2004: 19th MX2 World Championship, Italian Champion

2003: Italian Champion

2002: 2nd Italian Championship, 3rd European 125 Championship

1993: Started racing