2026 Tue 31 Mar

McAMS Yamaha Primed for Donington Park Testing

Donington Park Testing

Testing

After a long winter, the newly re-formed McAMS Yamaha squad are primed and ready for the first official test of the year, taking place at Donington Park on April 3-4.

The two-day outing will allow the team to further develop their set-up, with Brad Ray returning to the Yamaha R1 in confident mood. The 2022 BSB champion, who finished runner-up in the series last season, arrives at Donington Park with his sights firmly set on going one better in 2026.

The 28-year-old delivered an exceptional campaign last year, taking 12 victories and 22 podium finishes aboard the R1. With the title firmly in his crosshairs, this week’s test will be a crucial step in sharpening his package ahead of the season opener.

On the other side of the McAMS Yamaha garage, Ben Currie and Harry Truelove are set for their first taste of the R9 on British soil in the Quattro Group British Supersport Championship.

While new to the domestic championship this season, the Yamaha R9 has already proven itself a competitive machine at Donington Park. In the hands of Stefano Manzi and Can Öncü, the three-cylinder machine claimed an impressive double victory at the circuit in the 2025 FIM Supersport World Championship.

While still early in their testing programme, the entire outfit head to Donington Park with a confident feeling, having already taken their first meaningful steps of the year at Andalucía two weeks ago.

With expectations high across the garage, this week’s test provides another opportunity to fine-tune both the R1 and R9 packages ahead of the season opener at Oulton Park on May Bank Holiday Weekend.

Brad Ray

McAMS Yamaha - Rider (British Superbike Championship)

“I’m excited to get back to work with my crew at McAMS Yamaha this week. It will be an important test for us as we aim to hit the ground running and start the year strong come Round 1 at Oulton Park. The team and I made good progress at Andalucía earlier this month and had the opportunity to test things we wouldn’t ordinarily get the chance to explore during a normal race weekend. Getting back on track at Donington will give us a much clearer picture of where we need to improve. We’re heading into the test with a confident feeling, and I can’t wait to see how much more progress we can make.”

Ben Currie

McAMS Yamaha - Rider (Quattro Group British Supersport)

“I’m excited to reunite with the guys at McAMS Yamaha later this week. My early feelings on the Yamaha R9 are strong, and that feeling can only improve throughout the coming days. The bike is fast, and I’m confident it’ll be a competitive package this season. We have a few areas to refine before the opening round at Oulton Park, but that’s what testing is all about. I’m eager to get back with the team and keep building towards an even stronger feeling on the bike.”

Harry Truelove

McAMS Yamaha - Rider (Quattro Group British Supersport)

“Donington Park will be a great test for myself and the team. It’s a circuit I enjoy, and it’ll be interesting to see how the R9 performs there given its strong history at the track. The feeling we found in Spain was really positive, so we head into the test hoping to pick up where we left off and continue making progress ahead of the season opener.”

Steve Rodgers

McAMS Yamaha, Team Principal

“We’re back in action at Donington Park this weekend and looking forward to making some strong strides before the season properly gets underway. There’s a great group of people under the McAMS Yamaha banner this year, and we’re all targeting a positive season. Before the racing begins, though, we have an important two days of testing ahead of us. The riders and crew have clear plans in place, and the aim is to make the most of the time on track with both the R1 and R9. I believe we have the right riders and crew around us to extract the full potential from both models. Can’t wait to get started.”