Garrett Gerloff signs new Yamaha deal in WorldSBK until end of 2022

Garrett Gerloff will remain in WorldSBK until at least the end of 2022 after agreeing a new deal with Yamaha. 

Gerloff was widely seen as a favorite for one of the Yamaha MotoGP seats at Petronas, however, the American will instead continue with his current GRT Yamaha team. 

Gerloff is coming off one of his better rounds in the championship to date, as he claimed second in race two at Donington Park - his highest finish in a feature race, while also taking a fifth and seventh in the other two races.

Speaking about the contract extension, Gerloff added: "I’m really excited to have signed this contract with Yamaha to continue with them next year. 

"I’ve had a great time in Europe the past year and a half, and I’ve been really happy with the progress I’ve seen within myself, the GRT Yamaha WorldSBK Team and the Yamaha R1. 

"We’ve made serious steps forward already this season, allowing us to consistently challenge for the podium, but I know there is more to come. 

"We have been so close to that first win, within touching distance at Donington Park, and with the support of Yamaha and the team I'm confident we can do it before the season is out."

Gerloff follows fellow Yamaha rider and championship leader Toprak Razgatlioglu in extending his current deal with the Japanese manufacturer - Razgatlioglu signed just before Donington Park. 

Yamaha Motor Europe Road Racing Manager, Andrea Dosoli, also shared his thoughts about the renewal with Gerloff: "I still remember Magny-Cours in 2019, when Garrett came to visit us and where our journey together started. Since then, he has impressed everyone inside the Yamaha family with his motivation and commitment. 

"He has been delivering fantastic results, has shown great speed and is able to quickly adapt to new circuits, confirmed at Donington Park where he was fastest overall on his first day and claimed a very impressive podium on Sunday. 

"We’re really happy that we can extend this collaboration for another season believing that there is more to come from both sides and Garrett can become a title contender in the close future. 

"We have given the possibility to a young, talented rider, who we selected from a national championship and brought him onto the world stage, clearly confirming the strong Yamaha worldwide motorsport involvement."