P1racenews AI automatic summary:
Yamaha have recruited two Ducati engineers as part of a rebuild to convince Fabio Quartararo to stay.
Massimo Bartolini left his job at Ducati to become Yamaha’s new technical director, following Marco Nicotra who also left Ducati to become Yamaha’s Head of Aerodynamics. Yamaha hopes Bartolini’s expertise can provide a significant boost after struggling in 2023. It is unclear whether Bartolini will replace Kazutoshi Seki or work alongside him as the leader of the M1 project from last year. Bartolini’s addition represents a more Europe-focused approach for Yamaha’s 2024 plans, aimed at retaining star rider Quartararo. Yamaha knows they must deliver a more competitive bike than last year to prevent Quartararo from leaving when his contract expires. Despite having only two bikes on the 2024 grid, Yamaha will benefit from new concessions regulations, and the addition of two Ducati brains could further improve their performance.
