QUARTARARO SAYS YAMAHA DIDN’T TAKE ENOUGH RISKS IN BIKE DEVELOPMENT AS TEAM SLIPS BACK

A comparison is being drawn between two of motorsport’s most storied brands—Ferrari in Formula 1 and Yamaha in MotoGP—suggesting that both have been struggling for reasons that are less about money and more about mindset.

In F1, Ferrari’s last drivers’ championship came with Kimi Raikkonen in 2007, and the team’s most recent constructors’ title dates back to 2008. During the early 2000s, Ferrari’s dominance under Michael Schumacher created a culture of confidence in its own approach. But as the sport evolved, the article argues that Ferrari did not keep pace, pointing to structural and cultural inertia—such as the fact that most teams are based in the UK’s “Motorsport Valley,” while Ferrari remains the exception. The piece frames this as a barrier to attracting and integrating the right engineering talent.

A similar pattern is presented for Yamaha in MotoGP. While Honda still holds the mantle as the most successful manufacturer, Yamaha has slipped toward the back of the grid despite Fabio Quartararo’s relatively recent title win in 2021. The article notes that Yamaha’s decline is different in detail from Ferrari’s, but shares an underlying origin: a reluctance to move away from established ways of working.

The argument is supported by a claim about resources. Yamaha is said to spend €60m (£51m) per year—described as roughly three times the amount of championship leaders Aprilia—implying that the issue is not simply financial. Instead, the focus turns to development philosophy and risk-taking. Quartararo is quoted as saying, “What I know in Yamaha, is that we didn’t take enough risks in the development of the bike; we’ve always been too slow,” adding, “And I think this is why European manufacturers have made a big difference.”

The article acknowledges that Yamaha has made operational changes in recent years, including adding a satellite team in Pramac and switching from a V4 engine to an inline four. However, it suggests Quartararo’s view is that these adjustments have not fundamentally altered the team’s mentality. Even with Yamaha not winning a race for over four years, the piece describes an internal belief that results will return because Yamaha is “Yamaha,” tied to the legacy of Valentino Rossi. But it argues that competitors have progressed faster, and that complacency has left Yamaha behind.

There is also discussion of expectations around the sport’s future rulebook. The article mentions assumptions that the 2027 regulation changes could restore an older hierarchy, but it also references rumours that Yamaha are already behind in development—again reinforcing the idea that the problem is cultural rather than purely economic.

While the Ferrari analogy might seem more naturally suited to Honda—given that Honda has not won a title since 2019—the article brings the focus back to Quartararo’s own perspective. It quotes him explaining why he is moving to Honda next year, saying, “I’ve seen some changes in Honda; they’re getting things much more quickly, and I think that now they know what they need to fight with the other manufacturers.”

Taken together, the report’s central message is that both Ferrari and Yamaha are portrayed as teams whose past successes have shaped their working methods, and that without a deeper willingness to change, their struggles are likely to persist.