Among the World Championship stars of the Superbike and Supersport classes, a familiar IDM face was also part of the action in Jerez: Lennox Lehmann. The Saxon already knew the Yamaha R9, but the extensive test mileage in Spain has noticeably accelerated his transition to the new bike.

Following surgery immediately after the IDM season finale at the Hockenheimring, during which metal parts were removed from his hand and spine, Lennox Lehmann was back on a motorcycle sooner than expected. Since the beginning of November, the Apreco Team has been travelling from circuit to circuit: Barcelona, Aragón, Sevilla and finally several days in Jerez were on the programme for the Dutch-German squad.

“We already knew the R9 a little,” Lennox explains. “But Jerez was a completely different context, because suddenly you’re sharing the track with World Championship riders.” The machine he rode there, however, is still some way off the final IDM race version. The engine is in standard trim – no extra horsepower, no race-specific components.

Lennox contested the 2025 IDM season on the proven Yamaha R6. The switch to the R9 is therefore far more than just a change of model for him. “The riding feeling is completely different,” he emphasises. “The R9 revs much lower, has more torque at the bottom end, but what I notice most is the length of the motorcycle.” Even so, his interim conclusion is a positive one. “Our lap times are really good for a completely standard bike. We can absolutely live with that.”

The progress Yamaha has made with the R9 in the Supersport World Championship has not gone unnoticed. Stefano Manzi’s lap times serve as a reference point for Lennox. “When you see what’s possible internationally, it has to translate into a step forward at national level as well,” he says with conviction. “Last year we were also testing in Jerez with the R6 – a fully fledged race bike. And now I’m 1.5 seconds quicker than back then, even though I’m riding a standard motorcycle. That makes me optimistic.”