MV Agusta parts ways with Yakhnich

Yakhnich Motorsport has left its partnership with MV Agusta ahead of the 2014 World Superbike Championship round at Misano.

The Russian-based Yakhnich outfit, which won the 2013 World Supersport Championship with Sam Lowes on a Yamaha, entered into a factory-backed partnership with MV Agusta for 2014 that would see it switch to F3RR machinery at Supersport level and step up to the Superbike class with a single F4RR entry.

However, while the F3RR of Jules Cluzel has proven quick and is currently embroiled in the Supersport title battle, the F4RR Superbike of Claudio Corti has struggled for speed and reliability since its introduction at the start of the season.

Now it appears Yakhnich Motorsport has exited its deal with immediate effect, though MV Agusta will still be present at Misano with Corti and Cluzel in both series', albeit with no Yakhnich assistance. Vladimir Leonov will not race, however, as he is under contract with Yakhnich and will be replaced by Massimo Roccoli.

It remains to be seen whether MV Agusta will seek to get another partner on board until the end of the year, or whether it will focus as a sole manufacturer entry.

As it stands, Corti has scored ten points with a best WSBK result of 12th, while Cluzel is second in the WSS standings with one win to his name.

Yakhnich's newfound availability, meanwhile, potentially rekindles rumours that it will seek to spearhead Yamaha's anticipated return to the WSBK fold in 2015. The team was close to a deal last season following Lowes's run to the title on the YZF-R6, but Yamaha's decision to delay any entry until 2015 saw it enter into talks with MV Agusta instead.