Max Stauffer joins three-time ASBK champion, Mike Jones, at YRT

The Yamaha Racing Team (YRT) will have the perfect balance of youth and experience in 2025, when young gun, Max Stauffer, joins three-time ASBK champion, Mike Jones, behind the screens of the teams R1M’s as a Superbike rider. Press: Yamaha Racing Team Pics: Yamaha

Max Stauffer, a long time Yamaha rider who has progressed quickly through the ranks, will join the Yamaha team to contest the Superbike division at the Australian Superbike Championship in 2025. The 21-year-old enjoyed a breakout season in 2024 to finish fourth in the championship, highlighted with podium results at several rounds this season. With the support of the in-house Yamaha team, Stauffer expects the steep learning curve to continue and believes the 2025 season will be his best yet.

Read our 2024 ASBK reports here…

“Getting the phone call from John Redding offering me the YRT ride for next season was one of the best calls I have ever had,” Stauffer beams. “It’s been a goal of mine to get the opportunity to ride for YRT and now that I have been able to make that happen, I plan on making the most of the chance I have been given.

TAILEM BEND, SOUTH AUSTRALIA 2 Dec 2023. Max Stauffer(27), GTR MotoStars Team Yamaha YZF-R1M at the final round of the Australian Superbike Championship at The Bend Motorsport Park. Credit Karl Phillipson/Optikal

“Mike and Cru have showed the bike is clearly capable of winning at every track and the team has the knowledge and experience to help me become a better rider. I can’t wait to get to work with the team and start the next phase of my career. Thank you to all the people who have helped me get to this point and the years of hard work my family have put in. This is what we have all worked so hard for and now that I’m in this position, I won’t let anyone down,” Stauffer ends.

Back for his fourth year with YRT is Mike Jones. Since joining the Yamaha squad in 2022, Jones has been a model of consistency and professionalism on and off the track with results to prove he is one of Australia’s premier riders.

Jones was second in the 2024 championship, racking up round wins at Queensland Raceway and Morgan Park as well as race wins at One Raceway and The Bend as he took the championship chase all the way down to the final race of the season. But coming so close to victory in 2024 is what is motivating him for 2025, and Jones already has plans in place for next season and is eager to continue his successful relationship with the team.

“My relationship with Yamaha and YRT has been very successful and one that we both wanted to continue,” Jones begins. “In the three years with the team we have finished first, fifth and second in the ASBK Championship and we’re focused on winning another one next year.

“YRT are a dedicated and professional team who I enjoy working with and I genuinely love the feeling of racing the Yamaha R1M. I’m also really excited to be teammates with Max next year. He is an exciting young talent, and we get along well off the track too. I think his youthful enthusiasm will be an added boost for us all and I look forward to another fun and successful racing season.”

Team owner, John Redding, anticipates both riders raising the bar again in 2025 and believes both are capable of outstanding results in the ASBK championship.

“Mike and Max will be a formidable team in 2025 as they are dedicated and determined riders willing to challenge themselves and the team to be better. Off the track they are also polite and well-respected riders among their peers and good ambassadors for the Yamaha brand.

“I would also like to take the time to thank Cru Halliday for his passion and efforts for YRT over the past decade. Cru had been with us for a long time and YRT has played a big part in his career, and he will always be a part of the Yamaha / YRT family. We wish him well for the future and YRT will always be there to assist him if required.

“The team are already hard at work for the 2025 season and the pre-season will come around quickly so there is no time to rest,” Redding said.