The McAMS Yamaha team completed a final two days of testing in Spain this week as Jason O'Halloran and Tarran Mackenzie utilised track time in Almeria to continue their development work with the 2020 specification YZF-R1.

The pairing have been gearing up for the new campaign with a solid pre-season testing programme, working through electronics and chassis changes across three different circuits ahead of the return to UK tracks.

Mackenzie said:

"I'm really happy with how testing has gone. We were in a good position with the new YZF-R1 after Monteblanco and Jerez and then a further two days on track at Almeria enabled us to get through some extra stuff, which is all a step forward with the new bike. The nicest thing for me is that we've tested at three very different circuits and didn't have to change much with the bike to find a good feeling, which is encouraging for when the season starts. I can't wait to get going now!"

O’Halloran said:

"We've had seven days on track this month which has been good for getting our head around the 2020 YZF-R1. I spent the first half of testing working through electronics before moving on to some work with the chassis towards the end of the Jerez test, and then the two days in Almeria. I think we are in a good place. The new bike is a step forward, as the World Superbike boys have shown, and our job is to ensure that we can reflect that on British tracks.

“The work we've done in Spain has been very valuable for that as we focused more on improving the areas we were weak last year than outright lap times or pace and despite that were there or thereabouts. I'm now counting down the days until the season begins at Silverstone."

Team owner Steve Rodgers concluded:

“We’ve had seven days on track in Spain this month with near-perfect weather meaning we could get lots done. The official tests at Monteblanco and Jerez were very productive, and then Yamaha UK kindly offered us some extra track time at Almeria, which meant we could get through a few extra bits we didn’t quite have time to test in the first two outings.

“The 2020 R1 is an awesome bit of kit. The guys in World Superbike have shown the potential the bike has and our bike is very similar to theirs, so we are feeling confident. The attitude both Taz and Jason have shown throughout testing is to be commended, they came testing knowing exactly what they wanted to achieve with the new bike and did just that. We are now excited to get to Silverstone and see how things go at a circuit where we were very strong in 2019.”

The opening round of the 2020 Bennetts British Superbike Championship takes place at Silverstone on April 10/11/12.