The 2020 MotoGP eSports World Championship has yet to get underway but already the season’s first signing has been announced! Two-time World Champion Lorenzo Daretti aka Trastevere73 will once again line up for Monster Energy Yamaha in this year’s Global Series if he qualifies via the Pro Draft.
Trastevere73 won out in the inaugural MotoGP eSports World Championship in 2017, a feat he repeated in fine style the following year. Those achievements earned him a call up to represent Monster Energy Yamaha – home of MotoGP superstars Valentino Rossi and Maverick Viñales – in last year’s Global Series, in which he narrowly missed out on retaining his crown by two points.
Impressed by his personality and preparation as much as his ability behind the controller, Monster Energy Yamaha moved to secure his services for this year’s expanded four-round Global Series, provided he makes the cut. Lin Jarvis, Yamaha Motor Racing Managing Director described the 20-year old Italian’s talent as “exceptional” while displaying “great professionalism” at all times.
The signing shows again the importance current teams (and factories) are placing on the ever-expanding MotoGP eSports Championship. This year’s Global Series will be made up of eleven finalists, each one representing one of teams on the current MotoGP grid.
It will now be up to Trastevere73 to negotiate a successful path through the three round Pro Draft, which kicks off this Thursday on 5th March, to ensure he is Monster Energy Yamaha’s principle eSports contender at each of the four rounds that make up this year’s Global Series.
“We are very happy to continue our partnership with Lorenzo,” began Lin Jarvis. “Last year, he became the first official eSport rider signed by a MotoGP team and showed great professionalism. His talent is exceptional, and it comes paired with a bright personality that fits our team. He also shows genuine passion for both eSports and bikes in general. This really appeals to Yamaha and, we hope, also to MotoGP eSport and MotoGP fans alike who have these interests in common with him.
"Lorenzo very narrowly missed out on defending his Championship Title last year by just two points after the second race of the final round. Still, as a team we really enjoyed watching him in action, and we have a great amount of belief in him. We‘ve seen that eSports is a rapidly growing sector, which means the level of competition gets elevated every year, but we have confidence in Lorenzo‘s skills. We will be supporting him to our best ability during the 2020 MotoGP eSport season and will be cheering him on every step of the way.”
On the move to stay with Monster Energy Yamaha for another season (pending qualification from the Pro Draft), Trastevere73 said, “I'm very happy to know that, in 2020, I will again compete with Yamaha. The team is like a family to me, and last year they all welcomed me warmly. When I was a child, my dream was to become a rider, and now being able to remain a part of this team as an eSport Rider is amazing for me. I'll do my absolute best to bring them and myself to the top.
"Last season was very important for me. I learned a lot from the Yamaha team. They made me grow as a rider and also as a professional. It's different racing alone or having a team that supports you. And it‘s not just that, I also had a lot of fun at the events that Yamaha organised: riding on race circuits with the Yamaha motorbike, the Dolomiti Ride, travelling to Brazil for the Salão Duas Rodas event, and more. The most beautiful experience was to ride at the Yamaha VR46 Master Camp. I would like to do it a thousand times over.
"In 2019 the season was composed of six Global Series races. In 2020 the World Championship will be more or less the same but with two more races and it will last six months, meaning that we have to work a lot to remain at the top.
"I expect it will be a very tight championship but hopefully a little bit less so than last year when the three riders at the top finished within five points. For sure, I expect there will be some new competitive riders, but I‘m focused. My goal is to not think about it too much and secure as many podiums and victories as possible in order to win this World Championship.”
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