Since Yamaha entered MotoGP under the name of Yamaha Factory Racing in 1999, many riders have made the history of the brand. The House of the three tuning forks is the one that boasts the most constant presence of all in the world championship paddock, having written the past but also the present and the future in the premier class.
Over the years, Yamaha has gradually collected the identity and charisma left by each of its riders who have passed into that team. Here we recall some of the most emblematic characters who rode the bikes of the Iwata company.
Let’s review together Yamaha’s best “aces” in MotoGP
The driver at the top of the list, in chronological order, is Max Biaggi. “Il Corsaro” arrived at the House of the three tuning forks in 1999, but he never shone as he would have liked, leaving after 64 grands prix, 8 victories and 28 podiums.
However, already with reversed parts (Biaggi had moved to Honda and Valentino Rossi had landed in Yamaha), the Roman rider was the protagonist of one of the most remembered historical duels by two-wheel enthusiasts: the 2004 South African Grand Prix. Rossi started a relentless battle that resulted in Valentino’s first historic victory with Yamaha.
Carlos Checa also trusted Yamaha in the same year as Biaggi. The Spaniard had signed with the Japanese team having the Roman as his teammate. During his time in the factory team, Checa raced 95 races and made it to the podium on 13 occasions.
This generation, which followed the star of the charismatic Norifumi Abe, represented a bridge for many other riders who have left their mark on Yamaha. One of them is Marco Melandri, who arrived in 2003 competing in 13 races and who still continues to be a fundamental part of the history of the brand today.
Melandri shares this list with Colin Edwards. “Texas Tornado” was with Yamaha from 2005 to 2011, six years in which he has never achieved a success but has been on the podium on ten occasions.
In 2004, Valentino Rossi arrived, the rider who built an era and who represented Yamaha’s colors in 255 grands prix, of which 56 won, and collected 142 podiums and four world titles (2004, 2005, 2008 and 2009 ). The Italian spent 15 years of his life in Yamaha, the last of which was 2021, the season in which he announced his retirement, putting an end to the idyllic history with the brand.
In 2008 came Jorge Lorenzo, who together with Yamaha raced 156 grands prix, winning 44 occasions and reaching the podium a total of 107 times. The Majorcan won the world championship on three occasions with Yamaha, in 2010, in 2012 and in 2015.
In 2011 Yamaha welcomed Ben Spies. The American has played 32 grands prix with the M1, in which he has collected four podiums and one victory.
Maverick Vinales took over from Lorenzo in 2017. The Spaniard left his mark on Yamaha with eight wins and 24 podiums out of a total of 78 grands prix, before leaving abruptly in the middle of last season.
Finally, in 2021 a young Frenchman named Fabio Quartararo captured his first world title, becoming the first Frenchman to win the MotoGP title. Last year El Diablo wrote his name in Yamaha’s history, with five wins and ten podiums guaranteeing him the world crown.
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