Yamaha chief shares the main reason why they ‘suddenly’ fell behind their MotoGP rivals

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Yamaha’s MotoGP operation has been one of the most disappointing projects in recent seasons, but 2021 champion Fabio Quartararo has remained loyal to them.

Within the space of three years, Yamaha went from being title contenders to having the slowest bike on the grid at some weekends.

Quartararo could have left Yamaha for Gresini and made the switch to a Ducati machine, but he decided to remain with the team that he has always represented.

Pre-season testing was encouraging for them. Quartararo finished inside the top three during all three days of the Sepang test.

They failed to replicate that form at the season-opening race in Thailand, and are under pressure to prove themselves at the second MotoGP event of the year in Argentina.

Alex Rins was in ‘bad shape’ in Thailand and has struggled for pace for a while. It isn’t making the factory team’s efforts to improve any easier.

READ MORE: How Fabio Quartararo’s ‘massive’ lap in MotoGP Test compares to Yamaha’s best-ever Sepang time

Paolo Pavesio admits Yamaha ‘suddenly’ lost MotoGP pace due to communication issues

It has now been nearly three years since Yamaha last won a MotoGP race, courtesy of Quartararo at the 2022 German Grand Prix.

Yamaha had a ‘big problem’ in Buriram and struggled to conserve their tyres. The heat played havoc with much of the field.

But the reason why they’re in their current position hasn’t always been clear. Managing director Paolo Pavesio puts it down to poor communication during Covid-19.

“Yes, I believe that Covid did not help us and that is not an excuse,” he told Moto.it. “It certainly created a short circuit of communication on those who had their headquarters so far away. Japan completely closed to travel, there was truly a disconnect.

“And having such a high-performing driver who probably patched up a gap that was starting to form, but we know, until the 22nd we were there playing and it did not help and so when we saw how suddenly, because then there are others who grow and have grown quickly, when we saw the gap, since a sport in which there is technology you do not recover from one day to the next.”

READ MORE: Gino Borsoi loves what Yamaha have done for ‘the first time’ ever before 2025 MotoGP season

Why MotoGP rivals felt ‘really strongly’ about Yamaha after MotoGP testing

The last time MotoGP raced in Argentina, Yamaha had both factory bikes inside the top eight with Franco Morbidelli in fourth on that day in 2024.

There was a one-year break due to financial troubles in the country, but racing will finally return between March 14-16.

MotoGP rivals felt ‘really strongly’ about Yamaha after testing because Quartararo showed so much pace in the early stages.

He was consistent on race runs and sustained it too. It suggests that if the conditions play in their favour, they could be the second-fastest bike on some tracks this season.

They’re aware that there is a lot more work left to do yet if they want to return to where they once competed.