An executive from Yamaha recently addressed the media with visible discomfort, admitting the brand’s worsening lack of competitiveness in the MotoGP series. Speaking candidly about Yamaha’s ongoing performance issues, he apologized to the riders following a poor showing at the most recent Grand Prix, highlighting difficulties with power delivery and promising ongoing investigations to find solutions.
The ongoing challenges recall a similar crisis at the 2018 Austrian Grand Prix, when then-team leader Kouji Tsuya publicly apologized for Yamaha’s subpar qualifying results, an unusual occurrence at the time. Fast-forward to today, and Yamaha’s woes have grown significantly, with the team struggling even more to break into the top 10 positions in races.
Recent Results Highlight Yamaha’s Decline at the Buriram Circuit
At the latest round in Buriram, Thailand, Yamaha’s four riders—2021 world champion Fabio Quartararo, Alex Rins, reigning three-time World Superbikes winner Toprak Razgatlioglu, and four-time Australian Grand Prix winner Jack Miller—all finished well behind the leaders. Quartararo was the quickest Yamaha qualifier but placed only 16th out of 22 riders, while Miller managed 15th in the sprint race. During the main race, Yamaha riders finished near the rear: Quartararo 14th, Rins 15th, Razgatlioglu 17th, and Miller second-last, the Australian barely holding on to complete the race.
Yamaha’s switch from a traditionally successful inline-four engine to a V4 configuration—mirroring rival manufacturers such as Ducati, Aprilia, KTM, and Honda—has resulted in growing pains much greater than anticipated. Following the disappointing performance, Yamaha’s management canceled rider media sessions, instead sending Managing Director Paolo Pavesio to explain the situation. Pavesio acknowledged the severity of the performance gap and outlined Yamaha’s commitment to gradual improvement, emphasizing the absence of quick fixes.
Yamaha’s Leadership Speaks on Challenges and the Long Road Ahead
Paolo Pavesio was clear about the uncertain timeline for tangible performance gains. He stressed the company and riders’ full efforts but insisted that progress will be incremental.
“Now we see very clearly from the first racing weekend what is the gap, and we understand that we have quite a mountain to climb,”
he said. Pavesio further outlined the emotional toll on the team, adding,
“Sometimes emotionally it is not easy, but there is nothing that is granted from where we were in the past – this is something we are deeply understanding.”
Low Expectations Turn into a Nightmarish Race Weekend
The Buriram circuit’s layout—featuring long straights with few corners—exposed the lack of straight-line speed on Yamaha’s YZR-M1 machines. The Yamahas trail rivals by 10 km/h or more on the straights, forcing riders to push harder in corners with limited success. Compounding difficulties, unexpected hot weather in the race day turned conditions oppressive, further exposing Yamaha’s mechanical shortcomings.
Reflecting on race day, Pavesio admitted,
“We are still understanding the base setting with the machine. I would say yesterday [in the sprint] was not too bad, the gap from the first Yamaha to the winner was exactly the same gap as last year, but clearly in the long race we have suffered a bit more.”
This comparison underlines the declining race pace as race distance increases, with riders struggling to maintain competitiveness over the full 26 laps.
Yamaha’s Declining Race Performance Confirmed by Race Times
A closer examination of timing sheets from the 2025 and 2026 Thailand Grands Prix illustrates Yamaha’s freefall. In 2025, Fabio Quartararo finished seventh in the sprint race, 13.437 seconds behind the winner, compared with Jack Miller’s 15th place finish in 2026, trailing by nearly the same time margin but significantly further down the order. Over the 26-lap Grand Prix race, Miller’s performance dropped off sharply. Despite a history of strong Buriram results, including a second place in 2022, he struggled to maintain pace as the race progressed, ultimately finishing 18th, nearly 48 seconds behind winner Marco Bezzecchi.
Miller described his struggle managing tire degradation:
“The bike itself didn‘t feel bad over the distance and physically I felt fine, but from the very beginning I understood we had an issue with the rear tyre,”
he said.
“I tried to manage it as best as I could – short-shifting, being smooth, waiting to pick the bike up on the exits – but as the laps went on it became more and more difficult. In the end the tyre was completely worn in the centre, and on the straights I couldn’t use more than about one-quarter throttle. It was a tough situation to manage.”
Miller’s comments, issued via Pramac Racing, underscore the technical limitations affecting Yamaha’s competitiveness.
Race lap times further highlight Yamaha’s shortfall: Quartararo’s fastest lap placed him 1.118 seconds behind Bezzecchi’s best, while Miller’s lap times dropped off significantly in the latter stages, losing several seconds per lap compared to the leaders. This marked a grim picture for the manufacturer’s prospects in the near term.
Reflecting on Yamaha’s History of Comebacks and Current Stagnation
Yamaha has endured performance slumps before but successfully rebounded. Following Kouji Tsuya’s public apology in 2018, the team recovered steadily, culminating in Fabio Quartararo’s 2021 MotoGP World Championship. Between 2019 and 2021, Yamaha riders achieved multiple wins, poles, and podiums, with consistent top-tier results.
However, since 2022, Yamaha’s fortunes have sharply declined. In the 73 Grands Prix since mid-2022, Yamaha has not secured a single victory while Ducati dominates with 60 wins from 10 riders. Even Aprilia is on the rise, securing three consecutive wins including Bezzecchi’s recent victory in Thailand, bolstered by strategic hires and management such as former F1 executive Massimo Rivola. Suzuki, despite withdrawing after 2022, has recorded two wins in the same period.
Yamaha’s winless streak extends through the 2022-2025 seasons with diminishing podium appearances. Changes in rider line-ups to include the likes of Alex Rins, Jack Miller, and Oliveira have not reversed this trend. Conversely, rival manufacturers have pushed ahead, combining superior engine performance with advanced aerodynamics.
The Current MotoGP Landscape and Yamaha’s Competition
Ducati’s engine development and aerodynamic advantages have reset the competitive bar in MotoGP. Aprilia, with fewer resources but strategic ingenuity and strong hires, is improving rapidly. KTM, recovering after financial difficulties affecting its parent company, holds the championship lead following Thailand, thanks in part to rookie sensation Pedro Acosta.
Honda, having struggled after Marc Marquez’s 2023 departure and widely criticized for their recent struggles dubbed the ‘Japanese Cup,’ has also made major strides. Honda aims to sign Quartararo for the 2027 regulation changes, which will introduce an 850cc engine formula, signaling continued shifts in the MotoGP power balance.
Yamaha’s Strategy Moving Forward amid Engine and Regulation Changes
Yamaha understands the road ahead will be challenging. Pavesio acknowledged the difficulties with the new V4 engine configuration compared to their former inline-four, emphasizing that many of the current struggles stem from learning to balance this new machine while developing a coherent base package.
“It’s correct that we are judged by the timesheets and the results on the track, but the bike has changed a lot from last year’s first wildcard at Misano, we are on frame number three, swingarm number three … we are still finding the base package, and with the base package we can start working in a more consistent way,”
Pavesio said.
While Yamaha knows it must improve engine power, the focus is also on maintaining reliability and finding the right balance to become competitive again. The 2026 season is seen as a learning year, with much to be transferred to the forthcoming 2027 racing machine under new technical regulations.
“In reality, while we develop the ’26 bike, we are learning fundamental things that we will transfer into the ’27 bike,”
explained Pavesio. He highlighted that the switch to a V4 engine involves significant changes in bike balance and rider positioning—areas that the team is still exploring.
“It’s emotionally difficult for everyone, because the riders are the ones who have to deliver in the weekend and are more exposed. But we just need to understand that this is the only possible journey that we have to go through to go back to where we want to be.”
The Path Ahead Remains Steep but Opportunity Exists
Yamaha’s current MotoGP struggles are a stark contrast to its previous dominance and championship-winning form. The ongoing transition to a new engine layout combined with rising competition from rivals has plunged Yamaha into its deepest crisis in years. Despite this, the company’s history shows resilience through periods of adversity.
With the forthcoming 2027 regulation overhaul presenting a fresh start, Yamaha must accelerate the understanding of its V4 platform and rebuild confidence among riders such as Fabio Quartararo and Jack Miller. Strategic development aimed at balancing power, reliability, and rider feedback will be crucial in reclaiming competitiveness.
As Paolo Pavesio underscores, the journey back to the front will be gradual and taxing, but essential: Yamaha must endure these setbacks today to return stronger in the future, aiming to reestablish itself as a top contender in the world’s premier motorcycle racing championship.
