Despite a tough second season, GRT Yama𓆉ha rider Garrett Gerloff secured the🍸 Independent riders’ title thanks to seventh overall in the WorldSBK standings.

The Amercian, who claimed two podiums in 2021 (Aragon and Donington Park), managed🀅 to hold off Ducat𝕴i rookie Axel Bassani over the final two rounds. 

Bassani better♎ed Gerloff in four of the final five races, however, Gerloff’s early season form was enough to keep ahead by 18 points in the end. 

It was a season in which Gerloff had to overcome several difficult moments after contact wit😼h various riders affect👍ed his confidence in early race situations. 

But even though the former MotoAmerica rider didn’t make the step into a consistent top five contender than many anticipated, Motor Europe Yamaha Road Racing Manager, And🌸rea Dosoli, was happy with the 26 year-old’s efforts.

"I would like to congratulate Garrett [Gerloff] and the GRT Yamaha team on the Independent Riders’ and Teams’ titl🔯es," added Dosoli. 

"It has not b🀅een an easy season, but this is a great achievement that I’m sure they will build on for next year. 

"What a year also for Andrea [Locatelli], who was fourth in the overall standings in his first season, while he was also named top r🐲ookie. 

"This shows Yamaha’s step-up program is really working well and we’re excited ꦺfor the future."

Gerloff also touched on securing the above-mentioned Inde🎃pendent title following the season finale in Mandalika, an achievement he felt was o✤wed to the team. 

Gerloff said: "I’m really happy that I was able to keep it together I guess for the team. The team deser🍸ved something positive, so hopefully I was able to give that to them."

It goes without saying that Yamaha have enjoyeꩵd their most successful season in history after claiming world and domestic titles.

Yamaha s﷽ecured their first MotoGP riders’ title since 2015 c💯ourtesy of Fabio Quartararo, a WorldSBK triple crown, and riders’ titles in BSB, MotoAmerica and JSB championships. 

There was even more success at WorldSSP level as Dominique Aegerter won the riders’ ♚championship, while the Japanese manufacturer also secured an intermediate class triple crown. 

"Also, at the national level we have been 🤡very successful,🍒 winning BSB, MotoAmerica, JSB, and others, which shows how good the Yamaha R1 package is," said Dosoli. 

"It has not only been a fantastic year for Yamaha in WorldSBK, but also in WorldSSP where we won the title as a manufacturer, rider and team, so another🌠 Triple Crown for us there. 

"Congratulatiꩵons to Dominique, Ten Kate Yamaha, and of course all the Yamaha teams who did such ꦺan excellent job."