Due to financial struggles within the RNF team, Yamaha decided not to renew their partnership with Razlan Razali at the end of 2022. Consequently, Yamaha went into the 2023 season with only two M1s on the grid. It is now widely felt within Yamaha—from the riders to the executives—that this was a mistake, and they are eager to correct it by establishing a new satellite partnership.
Yamaha did not renew its contract with Razlan Razali’s squad at the end of 2022 due to the RNF team’s economic difficulties, leaving the Iwata-based manufacturer with only two M1s on the 2023 grid. Taking into account all of the voices coming out of the Yamaha camp, there isn’t a single day when neither the riders nor their bosses don’t regret making a decision that they will try to rectify with the revival of the satellite team.
Because of his enduring influence, Valentino Rossi’s team is the most logical choice to take over the two M1 bikes. Despite being out of the saddle for two years, Rossi remains the face of Yamaha's appeal. This connection was reaffirmed at the Jerez Spanish Grand Prix, where he signed a contract to serve as the company's lead ambassador until the end of 2024.
The bond between Rossi and Yamaha has weathered many storms, including his stint with Ducati during the height of the Lorenzo era and his eventual retirement at the end of 2021. Similarly, the current agreement between Rossi's squad and Ducati, which began in 2022, is winding down and will expire at the end of 2024.
While there is still time to determine who will supply the bikes for Fabio Di Giannantonio and Marco Bezzecchi, the coming months are pivotal for VR46 as they evaluate their options. With Stefan Pierer pushing to bring MV Agusta back into MotoGP, there are three potential paths. However, despite Pierer's ambitions, the most realistic scenarios are either sticking with Ducati or switching back to Yamaha.
Staying with Ducati offers the advantage of having two highly competitive machines capable of fighting for wins and podiums. On the other hand, the downside is financial; Yamaha can offer a much more attractive monetary deal. This is because Dorna pays a 3-million-euro bonus to any manufacturer that supports an independent team. Since this payment is flat regardless of how many customers a brand has, Ducati earns the same amount as Honda or KTM, despite supplying multiple teams. Currently, Yamaha is the only manufacturer missing out on this specific financial incentive from Dorna.
Lin Jarvis, the head of Yamaha, stated in a recent interview that while they are doing everything possible to secure a satellite team for 2025, their immediate priority must be technical. He emphasized that they first need to refine the bike's performance to make it truly competitive on the track.