Yamaha’s MotoGP domination in the 2000s with Valentino Rossi at the helm was a memorable period in motorcycle racing history, characterized by consistent victories, multiple championships, and heightened global interest in the sport.

In the sixth and final installment of this series, we’ll read about Yamaha’s MotoGP era in the 2010s which featured a mix of riders, including Jorge Lorenzo, Valentino Rossi, Ben Spies, and Maverick Vinales. Fabio Quartararo emerged as a prominent rider in the latter part of this period, making a significant impact on the sport with his performances on Yamaha machinery.

Yamaha seemed almost unstoppable following MotoGP’s regulation changes, limiting engine displacement to 800cc. After Rossi’s consecutive championship victories in 2008 and 2009, Jorge Lorenzo rode the YZR-M1 to his own maiden MotoGP title in 2010.

Over this three-year-period, Yamaha won the Triple Crown of constructors’, team riders’ titles each season. This was the first time in MotoGP history that the same manufacturer won consecutive titles with different riders. It must be said that Rossi contributed greatly to the development of the YZR-M1, but Lorenzo’s succession proved that it had not simply been a matter of building a model specialized to Rossi alone.

Valentino Rossi played a crucial role in developing the 2010 YZR-M1 into a championship winner

When Rossi moved to Ducati in 2011, Yamaha brought Ben Spies into the factory team to contest for the title with Lorenzo. Unfortunately, it was not meant to be for both riders that season.

Responding to the setback, Yamaha introduced the YZR-M1 (0WT3) in 2012. That season there was another big change in the regulations; the maximum engine displacement was raised to 1,000cc and the cylinder bore limit was set to no more than 81mm. However, the amount of fuel allowed remained unchanged from the 800cc era at 21 litres, and the number of engines a rider could use in a season stayed at six. This meant that the greater displacement and resulting increase in power output would have to be accompanied by significant advantages in fuel efficiency and durability.

While meeting all these needs, the 0WT3 also succeeded in maintaining the same incredible cornering speeds of the 800cc model by revising the machine’s balance and increasing rideability. Lorenzo thus took full advantage of this performance to take several wins and podium finishes until he was crowned MotoGP champion for a second time.

In 2013, Rossi returned to Yamaha and the two champions raced together again. Lorenzo finished as the championship’s runner-up. The next year, Rossi also claimed second in the standings.

In these two years, more changes were made to the rules; the minimum bike weight was raised from 157kg to 160kg and the maximum fuel capacity was further lowered from 21 to 20 litres. Through it all, Yamaha continued to apply its R&D strength to its factory machine development, which continued with a further evolved YZR-M1.

Jorge Lorenzo became an exclusive triple world champion in 2015 with his final MotoGP title

Having lost out on the riders’ title in the previous two seasons, Yamaha was keen to bounce back in 2015. It turned out to be an epic title battle between Lorenzo and Rossi, as the other manufacturers could not match the YZR-M1 in the corners. Rossi led for much of the season, having not missed the podium in the opening 12 races, but Lorenzo fought back to take his third MotoGP title in the final round by just five points.

In 2016, Yamaha introduced a new electronics package and single ECU software, as per the revised FIM regulations. The fuel tank was also moved, and positioned under the seat for better weight distribution. MotoGP also announced all teams must switch to Michelin tyres, with the maximum fuel capacity increased to 22 litres, although the weight limit was reduced to 157kg. Rossi and Lorenzo would combine to win six races that year, finishing second and third in the standings respectively as Yamaha won the teams’ title.

Ahead of the 2017 season, Lorenzo left Yamaha, with Maverick Vinales drafted in from Suzuki. The Spaniard was quickly on the pace, winning the first two races, but was unable to climb to the top step of the podium in the second half of the year. Vinales impressed with third in the standings, as Rossi took fifth overall.

After a tough 2018 season, where Rossi scored third in the standings this time ahead of Viñales in fourth, Yamaha was somewhat more competitive in 2019. Vinales was third in the standings, but it was rookie sensation Fabio Quartararo that caught the eyes of many on the SIC Racing Team YZR-M1, which Yamaha had leased bikes to. Six pole positions and regularly fighting for victory saw the Frenchman finish fifth in the riders’ standings, earning a spot on the factory team for 2021, ending Yamaha and Rossi’s hugely successful collaboration.

Marking his debut in the MotoGP class, Fabio Quartararo delivered a stunning first season on the satellite Petronas SRT YZR-M1 in 2019

Quartararo showed he meant business with Yamaha. Quartararo‘s impressive 2021 results earned Yamaha its 755th premier class podium finish in Yamaha’s 60th anniversary year of World Championship Road Racing participation, adding to the Japanese constructor‘s extensive list of MotoGP milestones.

Having won the 2021 MotoGP World Championship, he is the first French World Champion in the premier class’ history 

Quartararo brought Yamaha‘s premier class rider titles tally to 18 so far, of which three were secured by Lorenzo (2010, 2012, and 2015), four by Valentino Rossi (2004, 2005, 2008 and 2009) in the MotoGP class, three by Wayne Rainey (1990, 1991, 1992), three by Eddie Lawson (1984, 1986, 1988), three by Kenny Roberts (1978, 1979, 1980), and one by Giacomo Agostini (1975) in the 500cc class.

2021 World Champion Fabio Quartararo and 2020 World Championship runner-up Franco Morbidelli unveil the 2023 Yamaha YZR-M1 Livery

Yamaha has now announced that its partnership with Franco Morbidelli will be discontinued at the end of 2023 when Morbidelli will move on to the Pramac Ducati Racing Team.

The Yamaha and Morbidelli partnership led to some great results, including an outstanding vice-champion title in 2020. Since Morbidelli joined Yamaha in 2019, the Italian achieved six podiums: three victories, one second, and two third places. He also claimed two pole positions and was MotoGP Vice World Champion in 2020. After a short break due to a knee injury during the 2021 season, Morbido made a comeback at the San Marino GP as part of the Yamaha Factory Racing Team. In total, he contested 74 GPs as a Yamaha rider so far.

Now, Yamaha has announced the signing of Alex Rins for the 2024 MotoGP season as a replacement for Franco Morbidelli alongside Fabio Quartararo.

Source information and imagery: Yamaha