Yamaha's future riders lead MotoGP standings but “better to get the #1 from inside”

Yamaha starts the second half of the MotoGP season, at Silverstone this weekend, with its leading rider Fabio Quartararo just 14th in the world championship.

However, its future factory line-up of Jorge Martin and Ai Ogura currently occupy first and second in the standings for the factory and Trackhouse Aprilia teams, respectively.

That means, despite sitting fifth and last in the constructors’ battle, Yamaha could find itself running the number one plate for the start of the new 850cc/Pirelli era in 2027.

“We didn't need to convince them,” insisted Monster Yamaha team director Massimo Meregalli, when asked by MotoGP pit lane reporter Jack Appleyard about signing Martin and Ogura despite the factory’s current struggles with its new V4.

“We are extremely satisfied of the job that we were able to do and, as you can imagine, we are really excited [to go into] a new season with a lot of new things, not only the rider line-up.

“But we still have a lot of races in 2026 before the end.”

Pressed on whether Yamaha is considering the possibility of welcoming a reigning MotoGP champion into its garage next season, Meregalli replied:

“Yeah, for sure, we are considering this possibility.

“But I think for a manufacturer, for a team, it's better to get the number one from inside, not coming from outside.

“We have a lot of optimism for the next season. But as I said before, we are now really focused on this current season.

“We will keep working until the end of the season… and this [latest aero] will not be the last update.”

Should Martin maintain his position at the top of the standings, it would be the second time he has taken a number one plate to another manufacturer after joining Aprilia on the back of his 2024 Pramac Ducati crown.

Meanwhile, Pramac’s Toprak Razgatlioglu looks set to be the only current Yamaha rider remaining with the manufacturer in 2027.

Quartararo is confirmed as moving to Honda, while team-mate Alex Rins, like Pramac’s Jack Miller, is rumoured to be seeking a WorldSBK seat.

Given the V4’s results and rider changes for next season, Meregalli was asked whether keeping the current line-up motivated would be a challenge.

“I think they are professional riders, as we are a professional team,” Meregalli said.

“The aim is just to try to improve the performance and to get the best results as possible.”

Yamaha’s last MotoGP title was with Quartararo, in 2021, and its most recent race win in mid-2022.

Martin takes a 14-point lead over Ogura into this weekend’s British MotoGP.

However, Ducati’s reigning champion Marc Marquez now just 18 points behind, while Marco Bezzecchi (Aprilia) and Fabio di Giannantonio (VR46) are also within 24-points of the top.