2024 will be a crucial year for Yamaha in MotoGP. After a disappointing 2023 to say the least, the Iwata company needs to redeem itself with results, but above all it needs to make the entire environment understand that it wants to make a sharp change compared to the past. Perhaps this is the most important thing: demonstrating that we can return to being successful by embracing a more “European” mentality, therefore less conservative and more aimed at trying to be aggressive and cutting-edge with the development of the M1.
With this in mind, an internal restructuring has been started, as explained by managing director Lin Jarvis during the team presentation video made in Sepang. The role of project leader has been entrusted to Kazuhiro Masuda, but the Japanese technician will be supported by an Italian engineer, Massimo Bartolini who was snatched from his rivals Ducati. At Borgo Panigale he was responsible for performance, but at Yamaha he will occupy an even more important role, that of technical director, which for the first time has not been entrusted to a Japanese engineer.
“We have made several changes in our working method, although I must say that this process actually started in the middle of last year. We knew we needed new inputs, new ideas and to change the way we work. last months of last year we took a couple of important engineers from our competitors. Massimo Bartolini arrived and it is the first time that a European engineer takes such a high level position in Yamaha. He will work alongside Masuda, who was in charge of the test team and now becomes project leader. They will combine their skills to change our working method both in Europe and in Japan. The goal is to try to change our approach, to be faster, more aggressive, more adventurous and sweep away the conservative attitude. That's the plan,” Jarvis explained.
In addition to the internal restructuring, another help will come from the new concession system, which will offer Yamaha (but also Honda) the possibility of working much harder than the competition on the development of the M1 during construction. According to Jarvis, however, it is not enough to have this opportunity, but we must try to make the most of it.
“I think they will be a great help, both for us and for Honda. They will allow us to do many things that we couldn't do without the concessions. We have the possibility to do tests on a greater number of circuits, also we can do them with our riders owners. We can also develop the specification of our engine over the course of the season, obviously always staying within the rules. Without forgetting that we will also have an extra aerodynamic package over the course of the season. The concessions give us the opportunity to work harder , but then it's up to us to try to maximize its effect to try to constantly progress and not get stuck at the level we will have at the start of the season.”
Watch: MotoGP Video | The Yamaha M1 revealed
All this then leads to one last fundamental aspect: the contracts of the two riders, Fabio Quartararo and Alex Rins, will expire at the end of 2024 and the only way to convince them to continue their journey with the Japanese brand is with performance, but by giving them also the feeling of having finally undertaken the right growth path. Which would also be very useful for attracting a satellite team again in 2025, given that Yamaha is the only one not to have one this year.
“The action on the track will be very exciting this year, but I think it will also be very intense off the track. It's true that our drivers' contracts will expire at the end of the year, but it's the same for a large part of the grid To keep our drivers, it will be important to show them how we can become competitive again, also making them understand what our expectations are for the future. But this also applies to the satellite teams, because we want to have one again in 2025, but to achieve this the same thing applies: we have to be competitive. The first half of the season will therefore be crucial in many respects”, he concluded.
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