Massimo Meregalli never holds back when discussing Yamaha's development path. In the thick of a season that demands technical precision, the Monster Energy Yamaha team manager gave a glimpse into what's really happening in their garage, including the reason behind Fabio Quartararo's eye-catching pace in the morning session.
Yamaha were far from idle. After completing their first run, the team made several changes to the bike for the next session. Meregalli said the evaluation uncovered a few areas that still need polishing, though Quartararo felt positive progress. “We are still working because most of the things we will use on next year's bike, and for us, every time we find something, we always try it. We keep working,” Meregalli said.
One factor that made performance comparisons with rivals look stark was the choice of the soft rear tyre. Yamaha used that compound when most other riders hadn't even touched it. “But as I said, I think the biggest difference is we used the soft, and most of the other riders didn't,” he explained. This isn't the first time tyre strategy has been part of the puzzle that makes lap times look different from the actual picture on track.
Equally interesting, Yamaha brought a new exhaust system that Quartararo tested in the morning session. Even though the season is already in mid-September, development continues. Some of the components tested are even related to next year's bike. For Yamaha, every finding on track is a chance to speed up the refinement process, no matter how far the season has gone.
On another note, attention also turned to Alex Rins's condition. The Spanish rider had to withdraw from the Misano race after experiencing dizziness and vision problems. Rins then underwent checks at a hospital in Barcelona before getting back on the bike a few days later. “He went to the hospital in Barcelona and got checked. This morning we gave our recommendation, and we thought when he feels something strange, he should stop immediately. So far, he's fine... hopefully everything stays that way,” Meregalli said.
The Rins incident serves as a reminder that behind the speed and technology, the human factor remains paramount. The decision to withdraw at Misano was clearly not easy, but rider safety must come above all else. Yamaha chose a cautious approach by continuing to monitor Rins's condition, ensuring he is truly recovered before pushing the throttle again.
Looking ahead, Yamaha's development programme will continue throughout the next MotoGP rounds. Meregalli and his team clearly don't want to waste any opportunity to gather data, test components, and give Quartararo and Rins a more competitive package. Rins's condition remains a concern, but the team's drive to move forward is unwavering.
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