MotoGP News: Yamaha Reveals Major Weakness Adding to Struggles in 2024 Season

Despite facing challenges in the 2024 season, Yamaha is making progress with new engineers, a renewed partnership, and improvements to their M1 bike.

Apr 13, 2024; Austin, TX, USA; Alex Rins (42) of Spain and Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP rides during practice for the MotoGP Grand Prix of the Americas at Circuit of The Americas. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-USA TODAY Sports / Jerome Miron-USA TODAY Sports

Yamaha's MotoGP campaign in 2024 has proven difficult, with the team managing only sporadic top 10 finishes in the first nine Grands Prix. This lackluster performance has placed Yamaha fourth in the manufacturers' standings, amassing a mere 48 points, a stark contrast to KTM's impressive 165. Despite these challenges, the team has seen some behind-the-scenes progress, headlined by their renewal of star rider Fabio Quartararo through the 2026 season and securing a new partnership with former Ducati ally, Pramac, for the next year.

Adding to their strategic arsenal, Yamaha poached Ducati's esteemed vehicle performance engineer, Max Bartolini, who has been pivotal since his arrival. The team has also benefited from MotoGP's new concession rules, which permitted significant developments to their M1 bike. Quartararo and teammate Alex Rins provided positive feedback on a new engine tested at the Assen track, hinting at potential future improvements.

In an exclusive with Motorsport.com’s German edition, Yamaha Team Director Massimo Meregalli shared insights into the team's current situation and the ongoing improvements.

"We are better. During the winter we have been able to hire new engineers and especially one, Massimo Bartolini, is giving us an extraordinary job and support," Meregalli stated, acknowledging the competitive spirit Bartolini brought along. “He brought some reference but also ideas and a different way to work. And we are in a better situation than last year, even though the races are becoming more difficult because the competition among the others is getting more tough. But we are seeing that we are making steps.”

Meregalli revealed the team's reliance on the concession benefits despite mixed feelings about its necessity.

"This year we have the concession - someone should not be proud to get the concession - but we are trying to exploit this concession," he explained. “This extraordinary time that we can spend on the state track is helpful if you have material to test and if the weather supports you. Because we have been very unlucky. Basically, on five days of tests, we could really have only a good one, and it was in Valencia the week before Assen. But we really exploited that day as much as we could. And we were able to bring the new parts in Assen.”

However, substantial challenges remain as Yamaha strives to climb back to competitive form. Meregalli candidly acknowledged:

“Oh, no [we are not there yet]. We are maybe in the middle [of the tunnel]. We start seeing the light.” He identified the bike’s electronics and weight as primary areas of concern, expressed by both staff and riders alike.

“Electronics, for sure [is a major weakness]. We are really starting to work on it. And the weight of the bike. Its weight, but also its heaviness, because it is not only the weight that is the cause of this heaviness,” Meregalli elaborated.