Video: The 2015 Yamaha YZR-M1

The Movistar Yamaha MotoGP team had its official launch today at the home of its title sponsor Movistar at the Districto Telefónica in Madrid, showing off the latest YZR-M1 MotoGP bikes of nine-time World Champion Valentino Rossi and four-time World Champion Jorge Lorenzo (both of whom were also present) to the assembled press. Also present at the launch was current YZR-M1 project leader (and General Manager of Yamaha Motor Co. Ltd’s Motorsport Division) Kouichi Tsuji, as well as Yamaha MotoGP boss Lin Jarvis, Movistar Yamaha MotoGP Team Director Massimo Meregalli, and president of Telefónica Spain Luis Miguel Gilpérez.

Noticeable with the new team livery is the larger Movistar "M" logo compared to last year, in addition to new sponsors Abarth (the performance auto brand of Fiat) and Cromax, a global brand of refinish coatings for auto body shops. When Movistar was signed up to be the title sponsor of the factory Yamaha team last year, it created a clash with previous primary sponsor Monster Energy, the energy drink giant that had been the biggest sponsor of the team. When the team asked if the Monster logo could be moved slightly to make room for the Movistar logo, Monster Energy refused, citing existing contract language. The situation became sticky enough that Yamaha MotoGP boss Jarvis had to make a transatlantic flight to the US in order to work out a solution with Monster Energy.

Check out the Movistar Yamaha MotoGP video of the latest M1 below (and stay tuned for videos of Valentino Rossi and Jorge Lorenzo):