Moto2: Soichiro Minamimoto to replace Nozane at Argentina

Soichiro Minamimoto will replace Kohta Nozane at the Correos Prepago Yamaha VR46 Master Camp team at the Argentina Grand Prix.

Soichiro Minamimoto will join Manuel Gonzalez at the Correos Prepago Yamaha VR46 Master Camp team this weekend. Minamimoto will get his first experience in the Moto2 class at the Grand Prix of Argentina.

Kohta Nozane is recovering from a lower-back injury which caused the Japanese rider to withdraw after Practice three. Nozane moves to Moto2 this season after racing in the WorldSBK paddock with the GYRT GRT Yamaha team. The 27-year-old finished 20^th in the 2022 WorldSBK standings, with a best result of 12^th.

Minamimoto is a former Yamaha VR46 Master Camp student who took part in the first and second edition of the training week for young talent, in Tavullia. Before accepting this new Moto2 wildcard, the Japanese rider was racing in the 2023 Asia Road Racing Championship. This season he is riding for the YAMAHA GEN BLU Racing Team ASEAN in the SS600 class. 

Minamimoto is currently in third position in the Asia Road Racing Championship, in the SS600 class. At the opening round in Thailand, Minamimoto finished on the podium, onboard his Yamaha R6.

Soichiro Minamimoto said: “Joining Moto2 was a dream of mine when I was a kid. This chance to go to Argentina is only possible thanks to Yamaha‘s support. I would like to enjoy riding during this great experience. I will try my best, and I‘ll work a lot with the team. We‘ll have fun!”

Speaking about this weekend, Sports director, Gelete Nieto said: “Manu likes this track. He had a good weekend last year, which was his first ever time here, and after the good result he had in Portimao, we are all very confident that we can repeat another great weekend.

“It’s very sad that Kohta‘s not here. What bad luck to get injured in the first GP weekend of the year. We will have Soichiro Minamimoto as our rider this weekend, a former Master Camp student. It will be challenging, because he comes from a different category, but for sure he will do his best.”

Image credit: 2023 Yamaha Motor Co.