For Yamaha, 2024 was a year of revolutions that will materialize starting in 2025. Max Bartolini has arrived as technical director, Pramac will be the satellite team, and the new V4 engine has given its first stirrings in Japan. In Iwata they have every intention of turning things around, and breathe a new air. Team manager Massimo 'Maio' Meregalli is fully aware of this, and we first asked him about Rins' indiscretion that the V4 is almost ready to hit the track. "Rins got told off for that!" he replied with a laugh, "He said we should have tested the V4 in Jerez, but we didn't because it wasn't ready."
Was he scolded because he told the truth?
"The truth is that the new engine is running on the dyno. It's all in a really embryonic stage."
By regulation you could start the championship with the inline 4 and then switch to the V4?
"With concessions yes, however, it is an impossible thing to consider. We haven't put miles on it yet, not even in the test room."
What is the point of making a 1000 cc V4 and then having to switch to 850 cc in 2027?
"It's not just about the engine, it's about the whole bike. We have no data, for example on the weight balance. We cannot even think about making a bike for 2027 without having information. Of the current bike we know everything, while this is a completely new project and there are a lot of things we don't know. If we want to do comparative testing, there is no other choice."
Now that you have a satellite team, would it be possible in the next two years to run two parallel projects? For example, could one team run with the inline-4 and the other with the V4?
"Right now we have to get the V4 out of our minds because it's not realistic to think we can put a new project on the track after 6 months, it's something unfounded."
At the time of the 500 2-stroke Yamaha raced simultaneously with a square four-cylinder engine, which they gave to Sheene, and another V engine, which Roberts had.
"The point is that you can't run two projects in parallel. In 2025 we will develop the V4 and the new bike, but we will race with the inline four. When there are opportunities, we will do back-to-back tests, and you can't do it with two bikes with different displacements. What we will learn now, we will bring in 2027."
What about 2026?
"I never said we will race in the next two years with the inline-4, but that in 2025 it would be unrealistic to use it. Any goal would be unrealistic, we still have to do all the tests on the engine, we are too early in the process."
How amazed were you about Yamaha's decision to abandon the inline-4, which has always been its signature engine in MotoGP?
"It is another sign of this change we are making. A few years ago, no one could have imagined that Yamaha's technical director might be non-Japanese. For me, it's about having a Plan B; in recent years, we never had one. We want to have a chance to evaluate what will be the package that will allow us to improve our performance. If you talk to an engine man, at the performance level the 4-line can give you more performance than a V4, because of the length of the exhaust, because the intake is better. It's not just the engine that makes the bike, though: the V4 is narrower and allows for more efficient aerodynamics. We start from many assumptions, but when we started talking about this possibility we were all surprised in a positive way."
When were the first lines drawn on paper of the new engine?
"Around the beginning of last year."
How much did this new project influence Quartararo's decision to continue with Yamaha?
"First of all we didn't try to sell anything, we simply told Fabio what we were doing. Everything we promised him we managed to obtain: there was talk of Bartolini, talk of a satellite team. We succeeded even in a difficult situation, I think both Fabio and the Pramac team trusted us."
You mentioned Bartolini, how much and how has his presence changed Yamaha?
"To give a percentage is difficult, but we have really changed out approach, now we are a little more aggressive. We also used the races, sometimes making mistakes, for development, which was not done in the past. Before, the relationship between Japan and Europe was one-way, whereas now there is a continuous exchange of information. I can assure you that the motivation of everyone involved has also doubled, now we all feel part of this project, and even from the Japanese side we have seen a change and a trust that was not there in the past."
You seem to be cutting ties with the past. You are no longer using Valentino Rossi's clothing line and you are not relying on him to manage the Moto2 team that Pramac will be in charge of. Is it also because of the fact that the VR46 team has become more closely linked to Ducati?
"It is a consequence, but not because of the clothing because the negotiations with the new supplier started much earlier. The Moto2 team was run by a division of Yamaha that was not the one that was in charge of MotoGP and was then given to VR46. Right now there has been a change of gear, the MotoGP structure will be running it and it will be entrusted to Pramac."
Is having the team that won the title with Martin as a satellite team a big responsibility?
"It is an added value. It probably would have been impossible to find a better structure than theirs, in terms of professionalism, experience, communication. We started this relationship with them full throttle and I enjoy working with them, there is enthusiasm from everyone being new."
Are you also satisfied with Oliveira and Miller as riders? Usually in a satellite team you grow young riders.
"Definitely we also need experience because we have done the last few seasons with two riders, if not one. Now that we have a new project and we are chasing, the more information we can get the better. In my opinion, Miguel's riding style suits the M1, while Jack will have to alter his riding a little bit. We only had one test, but their comments were quite positive. I had a chance to chat with Miguel and he was happy."
You will need test riders and you have hired Augusto Fernandez.
"Unfortunately, the situation is a bit complicated because Crtutchlow has a contract in place, but the infection in his hand does not want to heal, although it is improving. Cal already told us that he would continue only in 2025, and we had the opportunity to talk to Augusto. Logically, he would have preferred to find a bike to race, but in the end we presented him with a situation with 6 wild cards. We divided the tasks a little bit, and Crutchlow will be able to explain to Fernandez how to split the rider aspect from the tester aspect, so he can grow. We will divide the work, more functional testing will be done in Japan and performance-related testing in Europe."
What about Dovizioso?
"Right now he has been giving us a hand, he has made himself available every time we called him as Cal's replacement. For the moment we are not able to offer him what he would like, but there is a lot of interest on Dovi's part to be part of this project and we have already had some chats about what could be his next test should Cal not be ready. Also because once he heals, Crutchlow will need time to train; he hasn't ridden a motorcycle in a long time."
We also wanted your opinion on what is happening at KTM and the repercussions on MotoGP.
"It is neither a good case for them nor a good case for us, but what I know comes from what I read and I have a hard time imagining the consequences. They keep denying that the racing will have problems, maybe I have a hard time believing it completely. The Japanese are also worried, because this situation is not good for anyone, but we have never addressed the subject in detail, we have remained at pourparler level."