Yamaha: changes aplenty ahead of 2019

Team Principal Lin Jarvis explains the restructure that has taken place at the Iwata factory over the winter

2019 is a huge year for Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP and speaking at the official team launch in Jakarta, Indonesia, Lin Jarvis (Managing Director, Yamaha Motor Racing Srl and Team Principal, Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP) discussed the changes that Yamaha have undergone ahead of this season.

“With any team structure, there will always be changes that need to be made,” began Jarvis. “Of course on the technical side is one of those, but also on the staffing side it’s also important some of the changes we’ll be making this season. In Japan we have seen there is a new organization, a fresh organization, headed by Kouchi Tsuji, we have two people in particular who have joined us. One is Mr Itou who is the General Manager of Motorsports Development Group, he is new this year. And we also see the group leader has changed to Mr Sumi.

“These are two key things in Japan. Another change that is very important is the interaction between Japan and Europe. So Japan is primarily responsible for the development of the bike, but now the engineering section of Yamaha Racing takes on a more significant role in the future. So we have a vehicle dynamics group there, and we have an electronics management group. We are expanding in Europe, in Italy, so that interaction between them is very important.

“We also have a test team, we’ve always had a test team in Japan in the past, in particular with Nakasuga, but we have now taken a European organised test team to bring that final piece of testing closer to the level of our Grand Prix riders. That is Jonas Folger and that test team will be organised in Europe.

After discussing the changes on both sides of the Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP box, Jarvis explains how vital the upcoming Sepang Test is for the team.

“Meregalli’s absence today is indicative. This test coming up in Sepang is a very very very important test for us and we’ve chosen, with the changes we’ve made in the team, and the changes in YMC, it was more important for Massimo to be in Sepang now preparing everything for the test. So I’m confident now, that with the technical changes we have and with the personnel changes we have, and with the riders and sponsors we have, we are planning on a good season.” 

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