Max Bartolini’s Vision: Integrating Ducati’s Winning Philosophy to Revitalize Yamaha’s MotoGP Fortunes

Yamaha's technical leader highlights crucial characteristic learned from Ducati

Max Bartolini outlines the distinctions between Ducati and Yamaha

Max Bartolini has outlined the Ducati approach that he intends to implement at Yamaha.

After two decades with Ducati, Bartolini transitioned to Yamaha, taking on the role of technical director.

He plays a vital role in helping the Japanese company recover from the difficult situation they have encountered.

In an interview with Motosprint, Bartolini expressed his intention to transfer a specific quality from Ducati to Yamaha. He emphasized the importance of constantly striving for speed and improvement, even if it involves focusing on minor details, alongside the valuable experience gained.

The key force propelling Ducati right now is their focus on comprehension and enhancement, which might set them apart from competitors.

"I thought of combining two different approaches to work."

Yamaha offers a range of highly favorable attributes, similar to Ducati, such as rapidity, responsiveness, and creativity.

"Combining the two cultures may eventually allow you to experience the best aspects of each."

"We constantly remind ourselves that Ducati took many years to find its footing, and they began with a foundation that might have been less complex than what we are dealing with now."

Bartolini commented on Yamaha's present MotoGP bike, noting that the mechanical foundation of the bike is solid, although they might have gotten somewhat stalled on a few aspects.

“At Ducati, the situation presented a different level of potential, with most of the framework already in place. Gigi Dall'Igna played a crucial role in steering it effectively.”

"It might not have been possible without his involvement."

Bartolini commented on the transformations at Yamaha, stating that they are altering their work methods, mindset, and approach, which is the most time-consuming aspect.

Yamaha tends to adopt a more cautious and deliberate strategy, which reflects influences from a different cultural background.

There's a popular belief that while Japanese people consider their actions thoroughly, contemplating them ten times over before proceeding, we tend to act in a completely different manner.

"What appears to be most effective to me is the shift in mindset, and this is also the key element."

Bartolini added, “I have never encountered a company of this size.”

In Iwata, the team is exceptionally large, and the racing atmosphere is less varied compared to what you find at Ducati.

In Borgo Panigale, the racing division was at the heart of all operations, whereas Yamaha focuses primarily on manufacturing, and I must say, it's quite impressive.

Yamaha's involvement in the MotoGP started to decline after Fabio Quartararo won the championship in 2021, and he struggled to match Ducati's speed in the subsequent year.

However, they have taken over the Pramac satellite team, increasing their presence to four motorcycles in the 2025 lineup.

They are planning to switch back to a V4 engine, a change that won't happen instantly, but suggests a more promising outlook for the once-dominant team.

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