The arrival of Max Bartolini at Yamah𝕴a this year was seen as a key step for the maꦕnufacturer to finally progress again.

The slump of the MotoGP powerhouse over the past year is being addressed and the a🅷cquisition of 𝄹Bartolini as their new technical director was a major coup.

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

Evolution or revolution

Bartolini answered whether the Yamaha M1 requires a total over𝄹haul or just a tweak to address its weaknesses.

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

“We're then trying to understand what 🌼can be done.

“It's clear that, as long as the engine architecture remains different, the motorbike is🅰 radi෴cally different.

“And therefore many concepts that were used at Ducati are very difficult to apply he𝓀re.

“However, many others are common and can be 𒁏transported - I am thinking of the aeജrodynamic balances or the way of work on the electronics, which can be updated and improved compared to how we are now.”

Bartolini adde🃏d: “We have identified the areas where we can improve.

“A gap of 7-8 tenths ta꧅kes ti༒me to recover and is spread across all areas.

“We are working on it, we are producing some material and we are trying to bring together my experience, which 🅷is purely European, and t🥀hat of Yamaha.

“The ideꦆa is to bring together the good of both working 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 - including 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 impact of the new aspects th𒁏at the Europeans have developed, i👍n particular Ducati but also KTM and Aprilia,” Bartolini said.

“But now this has been understood and we are trying to invest to cover th🅺e gap.

“It's clear that if you start a year or 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

"Aerꦆodynamics add force to the bike, so it's about raising the limit of the bike,” B✃artolini explained.

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

“In my opinion, the current MotoGP bikes and today's riders are so much at t🔥he limit that the difference that efficient aerody♎namics 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 similar aerodynamic effects it is diffi🎐cult to cover that gap generated by the aerodynamics with other areas. Today, aerodynamics are🌃 necessary."

2027 regulations

Yamaha a𓃲re trying to improve their flailing bike but know that, in 2027, the playing field could change because new regulations will come into effect.

Yamaha are ba༺lancing investm🌳ent into today’s rules and investment into the future.

"This🌌 is obviously taken into account,” Bartolini said.

“We are trying to🍸 bring development in the direction of the new 2027 regulation, which in any case is q🐻uite aligned with the current one.

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

“Understanding the concept on the engine, understanding the con𓃲cept on the chassis are things that you can transport to 20🎉27.

“The investment is made on technologies that will in any case be used iꦫn three years' time.”

Yamaha satellite team?

Yamaha♋ hope to add a satellite team to the 2025 grid.

The addition of two more riders and bikes would give them valu꧟able dat🍷a and speed up the progression of the project.

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

“First of all they are men and they have to recover, it is impossible to make♚ them ride continuously. And then it's still difficult with such limited time.

“It would be essential to have a satellite team, to try to carry out more things on more riders and als𝕴o for the riders themselves, to have comparisons and better regulate their choices and t꧙he areas where they can improve.”