Paulin joins Yamaha’s Ténéré Rally Team for Africa Eco Race

Motocross star Gautier Paulin teams up with Alessandro Botturi and the Ténéré Yamaha Rally Team to race the Africa Eco Race aboard the Ténéré 700 Rally.

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Yamaha Motor Europe has added serious star power to its rally raid line-up, confirming that motocross legend Gautier Paulin will join Alessandro Botturi in the Ténéré Yamaha Rally Team for the upcoming Africa Eco Race.

The Frenchman will line up alongside Botturi from January 24 to February 7, racing the Ténéré 700 Rally as part of Yamaha’s partnership with Riders for Health, powered by Two Wheels for Life.

Paulin brings an elite racing pedigree to the team. A five-time consecutive Motocross of Nations winner with Team France, he built a career packed with victories, from a BMX World Championship at age 10 to the 2007 EMX2 title, followed by multiple wins and podiums in both MX2 and MXGP. Across his premier-class career, he collected nine GP victories, 41 podiums and more than 4,500 points, cementing his status as one of France’s most successful motocross riders ever.

Now, he turns his focus to rally raid.

Although best known for his motocross achievements, Paulin has already shown promise in the discipline. He made his rally debut with the Ténéré Yamaha Rally Team at the 2025 Carta Rallye, finishing an impressive third overall and taking a class win. He has also competed in the Africa Eco Race before — winning the 2024 edition in the car category.

Still, rallying presents a very different challenge.

Unlike motocross, success isn’t just about speed. Riders must endure marathon stages that can stretch beyond 1,000 kilometres, manage fatigue and navigate using a roadbook across vast, unforgiving terrain. To prepare, Paulin has spent months working closely with the team to develop the Ténéré 700 Rally, while Botturi has helped him master the art of navigation and rally strategy.

With Botturi’s experience and Paulin’s raw speed and racecraft, Yamaha heads into the Africa Eco Race with a formidable pairing, one blending rally expertise with motocross grit.

It’s a new chapter for Paulin, but if his track record says anything, he’s not just showing up to learn, he’s coming to compete.