Yamaha look for home-grown talent to beat Marc Marquez
• Factory squad focus on Quartararo and Viñales for 2021, but what about Rossi?
Yamaha’s GP boss Lin Jarvis has ruled out bidding against Honda for Marc Marquez as he instead plans a future for fast Frenchman Fabio Quartararo. And Yamaha will have to counter big money offers from other teams, including Ducati, to retain the hottest young rider on the grid. “Yamaha has no intention of making a move on Marquez,” Jarvis told MCN.“Our mission is to win against him on a Honda and beat him with one of our own riders on a Yamaha. It would be a very big surprise to me if Marc wasn’t at Honda in 2021 and I think it’s unlikely Ducati will make another big, aggressive move for a rider like they did twice in the past.” Jarvis was referring to Valentino Rossi and Jorge Lorenzo who were both unsuccessfully poached at great cost in a bid to repeat Casey Stoner’s 2007 title triumph. Quartararo is a free agent for 2021 but remains connected to Yamaha via his deal with the satellite
Petronas Yamaha SRT squad. “It’s very important to keep Fabio in Yamaha,” said Jarvis. “I’ve recommended he sticks with what he knows and what works for him. “I expect all the top teams to make a move on him and it has already started, that is normal. He is the youngest and most promising rider in the sport.
“But we have expressed our clear interest to Fabio and his manager that we want him to stay with Yamaha. If we fulfil his needs I hope he stays.”
Quartararo’s shrewd manager Eric Mahe is in no rush to do the best deal for his rider’s future world championship ambitions. As a swashbuckling rookie Quartararo, 20, has emerged as the man most likely to challenge Marquez’s dominance. However, the need to retain Quartararo also reveals the complex decision-making process faced by Yamaha, especially if Rossi decides to race on into 2021. Yamaha have invested heavily over the past three years in Spanish speedster Maverick Viñales, who is the only rider to have won on a Yamaha this season. Signed as heir apparent to Rossi’s as team leader, Viñales has had six wins to Rossi’s one since joining Yamaha in 2017. As a result, Jarvis knows Viñales is now also a target for rival teams. “When he’s in the sweet spot Maverick is capable of a very high level of performance, which he is in now,” Jarvis said. “Maverick is on our shopping list, no doubt as he is with others. So we have an icon (Rossi), a fast, winning rider (Viñales) and a high potential rookie (Quartararo).” And all three will be fighting over just two factory slots in 2021. So how do Yamaha handle Viñales? He’s their only race winner yet is being asked to quietly wait while a big money deal is done with Quartararo and while Rossi ponders his future.
And Rossi’s VR46 management company adds to the intrigue as they work to boost the career of Quartararo’s current teammate Franco Morbidelli, who also fancies a Yamaha factory slot in 2021.
‘Our mission is to win against him on a Honda’ YAMAHA MOTOGP BOSS LIN JARVIS