IN
THE
WIND
P26
MOTOBOT IS
GUNNING FOR ROSSI
Y
amaha is claiming its YZF-R1-riding robot
– Motobot – will be riding race tracks and
beating (yes, beating), time set by none other
than Valentino Rossi by 2017. Yamaha and their
partner company SRI International, have reached
the next stage of development, where they will
be taking the fully-automated machine onto race-
tracks as Motobot gradually learns the ideal lines
and gets faster and faster. Eventually, Yamaha
claims this machine-on-machine duo will be the fastest, err, machines, ever to set tire on a track.
If you're not familiar with Motobot, this is a project designed to expand the role of electronic interven-
tion and analyze how we humans control machines – also, how to develop systems that make bikes
ever harder to crash, which can only be a good thing.
Here's the first Motobot Yamaha released back in October. It's creepy, yet oh-so-cool.
Motobot's coming for you, Vale… CN
HUTCHINSON WINS
TORRENS TROPHY AWARD
I
an Hutchinson has won the coveted Royal Automobile Club Tor-
rens Trophy, the highest award for motorcycle racing in Great
Britain, following his remarkable comeback from leg injuries to win
three Isle of Man TTs at the 2015 event.
Hutchinson severely broke his left leg in a British Supersport
crash in 2010 just weeks after taking a historic five TT wins in a
single week, with doctors advising him amputation of his left leg
below the knee was his only option. His comeback to winning
form has been nothing short of inspiring, having gone through five
years of recovery and over 25 operations on his leg. He wins the
Torrens Trophy over such stars as Moto3 World Champion Danny
Kent – Britian's first Grand Prix world champion since Barry
Sheene in 1977 – and World Superbike Champion, Jonathan Rea.
"I am very proud to win the Torrens Trophy and be recognized
by the Royal Automobile Club," Hutchinson said. "It has been
a fantastic year for me and I would like to extend a huge thanks
to the team at Paul Bird Motorsport and Team Traction Control
Yamaha and to my family for all the support through my days in
hospital and recovery." CN
Hutchinson (right) accepts the
Torrens Trophy award in London's
prestigious Pall Mall.
PHOTOGRAPHY
BY
IOMTT.COM