Multiple British champion Roger Marshall will join the McAMS Yamaha team for the 2021 Bennetts British Superbike season in the role of rider coach and ambassador for Yamaha’s bLU cRU programme in the Junior Supersport class.

Marshall dominated the British motorcycle racing scene in the seventies and eighties, winning a total of 11 British Championships. He also finished second to Joey Dunlop in the 1984 F1 World Championship as well making multiple appearances in Grand Prix Racing while also finishing on the podium at the prestigious Isle of Man TT.

Upon retiring, Marshall wanted to give something back to the sport and turned to mentoring and helping riders in various championships, working with names such as Wayne Gardner, Robin Appleyard and Roger Burnett. In the nineties, he also entered a team management role, first with Medd Racing and then heading up the Reve Red Bull Racing team.

Since then, he has worked with various riders at British championship level as mentor and spotter, including working closely with Josh Brookes in his 2015 championship-winning season. Most recently Marshall has mentored the likes of Joe Francis and Tom Neave.

In 2010, Marshall was appointed Riders’ Representative on the British Superbike Race Direction panel, providing his expertise within race control and in particular providing a riders’ viewpoint in judicial matters – a role he carried out for eleven seasons.

Moving away from race direction to join McAMS Yamaha full time for the 2021 season, Marshall will dedicate his time to supporting and mentoring riders competing in the Yamaha bLU cRU R3 Challenge within the Junior Supersport series.

The role will include running various race craft workshops, leading a track walk each meeting, spotting and being on hand throughout race weekends to offer support and advice to riders on the programme, helping Yamaha as they look to develop the champions of the future. He will also provide support and spot for the McAMS Yamaha British Superbike riders, Jason O’Halloran and Tarran Mackenzie.

Roger Marshall
McAMS Yamaha Rider Coach & bLU cRU Ambassador
“Ever since I stopped racing I have always dedicated time to working with young riders, looking to help them achieve their goals of getting to the top as I felt I had a lot more to give the sport.

“Almost all of the riders I have worked with in the past have gone on to win championships at various levels. It is not work for me; it is a passion. I know the ins and outs of racing, what to do to be successful and of course what not to do! Every young racer’s goal is to get to the world stage and to do that you have to work at it from a very early age, the Yamaha bLU cRU Challenge offers the opportunity to do just that.

“After 11 brilliant years working with Stuart Higgs and the team in race direction, I am hugely excited to begin the next stage of my racing adventure with the McAMS Yamaha team working on the bLU cRU programme. I’m going to give these young riders everything I’ve got during a race weekend and hopefully together with Raceways and Yamaha UK we can develop some of these young riders into champions, not just in the short term in the Junior Supersport class but also the long term, in BSB and beyond.”

Steve Rodgers
McAMS Yamaha Team Principal
“I am delighted to welcome Roger to the team in a full-time role for 2021 as we, as the official Yamaha British Superbike team, launch our support for Yamaha Motor UK’s bLU cRU R3 Challenge.

“Roger has a vast wealth of racing knowledge going back to when he first started out in the 70s all the way to present day – he’s done it all, from racing, team management and spent more than a decade in race direction! He has forgotten more about how racing works than most of us will ever know, so having him on hand to help develop our bLU cRU Challenge riders is brilliant.

“On race weekends, Roger will support the bLU cRU riders from the moment he arrives at the track on a Thursday to after the races on Sunday as we look to nurture the talent of tomorrow. This is a project I am hugely excited about and cannot wait to get started.”

Stuart Higgs
Bennetts British Superbike Championship, Series Director
“I would like to sincerely thank Roger for his contribution and service on the BSB race direction panel. His experience and insight proved invaluable in dealing with sometimes highly contentious on-track judicial matters. I am pleased that his knowledge will be retained within the paddock and in particular nurturing a new generations of riders.”