Mike Jones Joins Cru Halliday At YRT

Just when you thought you wouldn’t see number 46 on a Yamaha R1 again, two-time Australian Superbike Champion, Mike Jones, returns to Yamaha and will race alongside Cru Halliday for the Yamaha Racing Team in season 2022 in the Australian Superbike Championship headline category!

The two-pronged attack of Halliday and Jones will see the pair contest the Australian Superbike Championship on Yamaha’s championship winning YZF-R1 and headline a huge Yamaha presence at ASBK events.

Jones, who won his last ASBK championship in 2019, is excited about his move to Yamaha, a brand and team he is familiar with after having an association earlier in his career. The 27-year-old, Queensland based rider is looking forward to getting stuck into testing and a solid pre-season hit-out with the team before lining up for round one.

“Yamaha is enjoying plenty of success around the world at the moment and the R1 has proven to be a very competitive package in every major championship contested this year, “Jones comments. “Personally, I have raced Cru closely over the past few seasons and I can see the YRT bike is good and look forward to working with the team to fine-tune it to my needs and have a good run at the ASBK championship in 2022.”

Jones will be itching to get back out on a Yamaha for the 2022 season, we look forward to seeing how he adjusts to the new bike!

“Having the team based here in Brisbane and the experience of John and Kevin around will be to my advantage and I know from our meetings just how enthusiastic and determined they are this year to get YRT back on top and I’m pumped to be on board with them,” Jones ends.

Cru Halliday will mark nearly a decade with the bLU cRU has he lines up again for the 2022 season with Yamaha and YRT. Halliday has matured over the years, and he is now a legitimate contender in the ASBK championship and a potential race winner every time he grids up on his R1. The former Supersport champion has finished the last three ASBK season inside the top five but is desperate to take the next step and turn those top five finishes into podiums and be right in the championship hunt at the end of the season.

Cru Halliday has been apart of the Yamaha family for many years now as he looks to finally grab that ASBK title.

“I have been with Yamaha and YRT for a long time and I’m due to reward them with another championship. The team and I have a great relationship and it continues to grow each year. Since returning to the superbike class in 2019, I have finished fourth, second, third and it’s time to make things happen and fight my way to the top. The team has made a few changes and given us more support and assistance during the week, so I feel I have all the tools I need and really look forward for what’s to come in 2022.” said Halliday,

Team owner, John Redding, also anticipates a successful and productive season as the team have done whatever it takes to achieve the ultimate success.

“Team owner, John Redding, also anticipates a successful and productive season as the team have done whatever it takes to achieve the ultimate success.”

“The pairing of Cru and Mike is exciting as we have two riders in the prime of their careers with plenty of experience but also the motivation to win. We have worked with Mike a long time ago but welcome him back to Yamaha and believe he will fit in perfectly with the team while Cru is ready for a breakout year. Our determination to win this year is at an all-time high and we have stepped up the support to the riders in many ways. They will be given every opportunity to prove themselves with a strong team behind them and a great bike beneath them.”

The 2022 Australian Superbike Championship gets under in January with the first official test before round one kicks off in February.

2022 ASBK Calendar