Wayne Rainey to ride YZR500 at Goodwood Festival of Speed!

Triple 500cc world champion and MotoAmerica president Wayne Rainey will not only attend this year's Goodwood Festival of Speed, but ride!

The American, 61, paralysed from the chest down since an accident in 1993, will take to the Goodwood Hill on his 1992-championship-winning Yamaha YZR500 during the June 23-26 event.

Rainey's ride will be made possible after Yamaha Motor Company reconfigured the YZR500 so it can be ridden using handlebar controls alone.

“I’m incredibly excited to not only be attending my first Goodwood Festival of Speed this summer, but to be riding my 1992 Yamaha YZR500 up the famous hillclimb," said Rainey, who made his first return to riding in 2019 with a modified R1 Superbike at the Sound of Engine Festival in Japan.

"It’s truly a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity and one that I just couldn’t pass up. I want to thank the Yamaha Motor Company for preparing my 1992 YZR500 and adapting it for me to ride, MotoAmerica for helping make the entire project fly, and The Duke of Richmond for really making this a reality.

"I can’t wait to meet the fans who come from all over the world for the Goodwood Festival of Speed.”

The theme of this year's Festival of Speed is ‘The Innovators - Masterminds of Motorsport’. It's a title befitting of Rainey, whose motorsport career includes a starring role in the golden era of 500cc, before overcoming his injuries to return as a grand prix team manager and now President of MotoAmerica.

“The Goodwood Festival of Speed is an amazing event that is a showcase for two and four-wheel motorsports legends – both human and mechanical," said Lin Jarvis, Managing Director of Yamaha Motor Racing. "Wayne Rainey is a true motorcycle racing legend who achieved three 500cc World Titles with Yamaha before his career-ending accident and injury.

"The thought of Wayne riding the legendary 1992 Factory YZR500 bike that he rode to his final championship victory is something truly amazing that I for one never imagined could be possible. I know it will mean so much to Wayne, and it will be something truly special for all the fans at Goodwood and all around the world. We are proud to be able to support Wayne make his dream come true.”

The Duke of Richmond added: “I am absolutely delighted that Wayne and his family are able to join us at this year’s Festival of Speed and that we will see him take to the Hill on the bike with which he won his last World Championship 30 years ago.

"Every year the Festival showcases spectacular stories from the world of motorsport, and we are privileged that Wayne is sharing his with us this summer.”