Yamaha MotoGP
Former Yamaha worldwide President Mr. T. Kajikawa was presented a specially commissioned painting on Tuesday to commemorate his years of service during a brief stop at the headquarters of Yamaha U.S. in Cypress California.
The special painting features Valentino Rossi at the top of the famous corkscrew at Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca during the inaugural MotoGP event at the facility in 2005.
Bob Starr (General Manager of Motorsports Communication) says: "Mr. Kajikawa was very instrumental in his support of our factory’s MotoGP effort and in our company’s 50th Anniversary celebration during 2005. And this special painting truly captures both initiatives on one canvass."
Famed artist Bill Patterson was commissioned to capture the moment over five-years ago when both Valentino Rossi and his then teammate Colin Edwards competed in the special Yamaha 50th anniversary livery.
During the 2005 MotoGP Championship, Valentino Rossi won his seventh of nine world titles aboard the Gauloises Yamaha M1. That year, the Italian won 11 races, and finished on the podium every other time except for one DNF at the Japanese Grand Prix.
Yamaha has won the MotoGP title the past three years: 2008 and 2009 went to Rossi, this year’s title was clinched by Rossi’s teammate Jorge Lorenzo with two races to go.