Yamaha Motor Racing has announced the appointment of Wilco Zeelenberg as team manager for Spaniard Jorge Lorenzo in the Fiat Yamaha Team for the 2010 MotoGP World Championship.

Dutchman Zeelenberg joins the team from Yamaha’s World Supersport Team, where he won the world championship in 2009 with Cal Crutchlow.

Zeelenberg previously had a successful career as a rider, contesting 100 Grands Prix from 1986 to 1995, racing with three different manufacturers including Yamaha. From 1995 to 2000 he then raced in the World Supersport Championship.

Upon retirement from racing he joined Yamaha Motor Europe as technical coordinator and test rider until 2008, when he took over the role of team manager for the Yamaha World Supersport Team.

Zeelenberg lives in Holland and is married with two children.

“I would like to congratulate Wilco on his appointment and wish him every success in his new challenge. I am confident that the Team and Jorge will benefit from Wilco’s long experience as a rider, a Yamaha racing technician and more recently as a successful team manager,” said Lin Jarvis, managing director for Yamaha Motor Racing. “We look forward to integrating him into the Fiat Yamaha Team working alongside Davide Brivio, both team managers being under the supervision of team director Masahiko Nakajima.”

“After nine years working for Yamaha I am very proud to be joining the official Yamaha MotoGP team,” said Zeelenberg. “It’s a big reward and I am very excited about this new challenge. Jorge is a fantastic rider and I cannot wait to start working with him and the crew. The team is already a well-oiled machine and I am thrilled to be fitting into it. It’s clear that there are four main contenders for the title and Jorge is one of those four. I am a very competitive person, I will do everything I can in the team to create the right atmosphere and fight for the championship title.”