[sportrider - latest stories] - Yamaha World Supersport team manager Wilco Zeelenberg

[Ninjette Newsbot]

Yamaha World Supersport team manager Wilco Zeelenberg to be Jorge Lorenzo’s crew chief

Former Yamaha World Supersport team manager Wilco Zeelenberg to be Jorge Lorenzo's new crew chiefYamaha officially announced the appointment of former Yamaha World Supersport team manager Wilco Zeelenberg as the team manager for Yamaha MotoGP rider Jorge Lorenzo for the upcoming 2010 season. Rumors were running rampant for weeks that Zeelenberg was the person slated for the job vacated by Daniele Romagnioli, who decided to move on to what appears to be a position with the new Monster Tech 3 Moto2 team. Zeelenberg’s availability was made easier by the fact that the Yamaha World Supersport team was disbanded at the close of the ’09 season—after winning the World Supersport Championship with rider Cal Crutchlow—due to the financial climate forcing Yamaha to make cutbacks.

Zeelenberg previously had a successful career as a rider, contesting 100 Grands Prix from 1986 to 1995, racing with three different manufacturers including Yamaha. He managed to win the 1990 250cc German Grand Prix aboard a Samson Sharp Honda NSR250, and had a best championship finish of fourth in ’91. From 1995 to 2000 he then raced in the World Supersport championship.

Upon retirement from racing, Zeelenberg joined Yamaha Motor Europe as Technical Coordinator and Test Rider until 2008, when he took over the role of Team Manager for the Yamaha World Supersport team. Zeelenberg lives in Holland and is married with two children.inline_mediumwraptextrightThe Yamaha World Supersport team won the '09 World Supersport Championship with rider Cal Crutchlow (left) and team manager Wilco Zeelenberg (right), but the team was disbanded at the close of the season due to budget cuts. Crutchlow is now on the Yamaha World Superbike team, and Zeelenberg has been appointed as the new crew chief for Yamaha MotoGP star Jorge Lorenzo.32003370/news/146_1001_yamaha_world_supersport_team_manager_wilco_zeelenberg_now_jorge_lorenzo _motogp_crew_chief146_1001_+zeelenberg_crew_chief_for_jorge_lorenzo_motogp_1+.jp gTrue


Photo Gallery: Former Grand Prix rider and Yamaha World Supersport team manager Wilco Zeelenberg to be Jorge Lorenzo's new crew chief - Sport Rider Magazine


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