![cover image](https://wikiwandv2-19431.kxcdn.com/_next/image?url=https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/9/9e/Wataru_Yoshikawa_2011_Sepang_test.jpg/640px-Wataru_Yoshikawa_2011_Sepang_test.jpg&w=640&q=50)
Wataru Yoshikawa
Japanese motorcycle racer / From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Wataru Yoshikawa (吉川 和多留, Yoshikawa Wataru, born September 26, 1968 in Tokyo) is a Japanese motorcycle rider.
Wataru Yoshikawa | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
![]() Yoshikawa testing in 2011 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Nationality | Japanese | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Born | (1968-09-26) September 26, 1968 (age 55) Tokyo, Japan | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
Yoshikawa won the All Japan Superbike Championship in 1994 and 1999. He also participated in the World Superbike Championship, finishing 9th in the 1996 season. In 2003 Yoshikawa finished second at the Suzuka 8 Hours, partnering Shinichi Nakatomi on a Yamaha YZF-R1.[1]
Yoshikawa is a test rider for the Yamaha factory, and helped to develop the Yamaha YZR-M1. On June 23, 2010, it was announced that Yoshikawa would replace the injured Valentino Rossi in the MotoGP Yamaha factory works team, until Rossi was again able to race.[2][3]
Yoshikawa was the team manager of Yamaha's All Japan Road Race Championship factory team at the 39th "Coca-Cola Zero" Suzuka 8 Hours Endurance Road Race held during July 28 to July 31, 2016, at the Suzuka Circuit in Ino, Suzuka City, Mie Prefecture, Japan.[4]