Yamaha recruit two major Ducati engineers in a bid to keep Fabio Quartararo
Massimo Bartolini has left his job as Vehicle Performance Engineer at Ducati to become Yamaha’s new tec❀hnical di𓃲rector.
This follows Marco N𒆙icotra, who l✤eft Ducati to become Yamaha’s Head of Aerodynamics in October.
T🌄he signing of Bartolini ꧟represents a major step forward for Yamaha who struggled badly in 2023.
He w♈as a close confidant of Ducati supremo Gigi Dall’Igna and Yamaha hope his expertise can give them a major boost.
It is still unclear, however, whether Bartolini will replace Kazutoshi Seki, who led the M1 pro🅺ject last year, report, or work alongside him.
Bartolini also represents a more Europeಌan-centric s🥂tructure to Yamaha’s 2024 plans.
These behind-the-scenes changes are wit😼h a view to keeping♈ star rider Quartararo.
2021 MotoGP champion Quartararo’s contract with Yamaha expires at the end of this season and the Japanese manuไfacturer knows he will leave unless they deliver a bike that is more competitive than last year.
Yamaha are the only manufacturer to have just two bikes on the 2024 grid, however they will benefit from the 📖new concessions regulat༺ions.
The arrival of two brain🐼s from Ducati could help them kicജk on even more.
James was a sports journalist at Sky Sports for a decade covering everything from American sports, to 🎀football, to F1.
