The arrival of Max Bartolini at Yamaha this year was seen as a key step for the manufacturer t🎀o finally progress again.

The slump ꦚof the MotoGP powerhouse over the past year is being addressed and the acquisition of Bartolini as thಌeir new technical director was a major coup.

Bartolini left Ducati, where he had beenౠ for 20 years, to take on an important job in fixing Yamaha’s woes.

Evolution or revolution

Bartolini answ💞ered whether the Yamaha M1 requires a total overhau♛l or just a tweak to address its weaknesses.

"I'm trying to understand how Yamaha works, to take advantage of the strong points that still ex♛ist, even if it doesn't seem like it at the time,” he told .

“We're then trying to underst🅷and what can be done.

“It's clear th🔯at, as long as the engine architecture remains differ🥀ent, the motorbike is radically different.

“And therefore many concepts that were used at Ducati are very dꦉifficult to apply here.

“However, many others are common and can be transported - I am thinking of the aerodynamic balances or the way of work on the electronics, whꦺich can be updat𒀰ed and improved compared to how we are now.”

Bartolini added: “We have identified the areas where we can 🍸improve.

“A gap of 7-8 tenths♕ takes time to recover and is spread across all areas.

“We are working on it, we are producing some material and we are trying to brin🃏🍸g together my experience, which is purely European, and that of Yamaha.

“The idea is to bring together the good of both worki⛦ng methods, to try to close the gap in a reasonable time."

The trend in MotoGP is that the two Japanese goliaths, Yamaha and Honda, have fallen behind the three European manufacturers - includi🤡ng Aprilia and KTM, who do not have the same illustrious history in the sport.

"More than being left behind, in some fields they may have underestimated the i♓mpact of the new aspects that the Europeans have developed, in particular Ducati but also KTM aꩲnd Aprilia,” Bartolini said.

“But now this has been un🍸derstood and we are trying to invest to cover the gap.

“It's clear that if you start a year o𓄧r a year and a half later to invest heavily in some areas, you need some time to close the gap. It's quite normal."

The impact of aerodynamics

"Aerodynamics add force to the bike, so it's about🎶 raising the limit🍃 of the bike,” Bartolini explained.

“For riders,♏ riding a bike with aerodynamics can be the same or even worse in terms of feeling.

“In my op🦋inion, the current MotoGP bikes and today's riders are so much at the limit that the difference that efficient aerodynamics can add to you is such as to justify several tenths.

“Quantifying them exactly is not easy, but if you cannot have similar loads or simi⛦lar aerodynamic effects it is difficult to cover that gap generated by the aerodynamics with other areas. Today, aerodynamics ☂are necessary."

2027 regulations

Yamaha are trying to improve t🌠heir flailing bike but know that, in 2027, the playing field could change because new regula🐟tions will come into effect.

Yamaha are balancing investment into today’s rules and investment into the futur🍬e.

"This is obviously take൩n into account,” Bartolini said.

“We are trying to bring development in the direction of the new 2027 regulation, which in any case is quite alꦗigned with the current one.

“We are trying to invest appropriately in things that will disappear such a𓃲s lowering devices, but understand the real concept🧸 of aerodynamics and trying to optimise it.

“Understanding the concept on the engine, understanding 🎶the concept on the chassis are th꧑ings that you can transport to 2027.

“The investment is made on technologies that will in any cas🥀e be used in three years' time.”

Yamaha satellite team?

Yamaha hope to add a satellite t💧eam to the ☂2025 grid.

The addition of two more riders and bikes would give them valuable data and speed up the progression of the proje💧ct.

Bartolini said: "With such a demanding chamꦦpionship,💯 even if you have the concessions and can make the official riders run, the truth is that you manage to make them run very little.

“Firs🌳t of all they are men and they have to recover, it is impossible to make them ride continuously. And then it's still dif🦄ficult with such limited time.

“It would be essential to have a🌞 satellite team, to try to carry out more things on more riders and also for the riders themselves, to have comparisons and better regulate their choices and the areas where they can improve.”