Melvin van der Voort is entering his fifth year with Team SWPN. In 2023, the groundwork will be laid for a move up to the World Motorcycle Championship. By his side throughout is “Zorgeloos Kind,” a foundation that provides recreational activities for seriously ill children, particularly those with cancer.
When a small group of children gathers around Melvin van der Voort’s Yamaha in the paddock, these young patients are on a big adventure and their eyes light up. And when “their” Melvin is racing for championship points, everyone is keeping their fingers crossed. The outings organized by the “Sorgeloos Kind” Foundation give them and their families the strength to keep fighting their illness. The SWPN team is a partner of the foundation and helps them forget their worries for a little while. The gratitude is priceless: a happy smile.
Melvin van der Voort steht vor seiner fünften Saison mit SWPN. In den ersten beiden Jahren kämpfte er in der IDM Supersport 300, bevor er in die höhere Supersport-Klasse aufstieg. Van der Voort ist erst 17 Jahre alt und seine Entwicklung auf der Yamaha YZF-6R. Nach seinem Doppelsieg in Assen war er nicht mehr zu bremsen. In den verbleibenden vier Rennen folgten drei weitere Siege. Diese Bilanz spülte ihn bis auf den zweiten Platz in der Gesamtwertung nach vorn. Nun ist der Titelgewinn das Ziel, um sich auf einen möglichen Wechsel in die Supersport-Weltmeisterschaft 2024 vorbereiten.
Mario Janssen is proud of his SWPN riders, including Superbike rider Rob Hartog. The Country Manager for Yamaha Motor Europe’s Benelux branch says: “We are proud of our long-standing partnership with SWPN and of how the team performed in 2022. Having two riders from the Benelux countries finish in the top three of the highly competitive IDM is a fantastic achievement. It’s great that the team has remained intact, providing an excellent foundation.”