Yamaha Unveils 2023 MotoGP Racer
Y
amaha took the wraps off
its Monster Energy-spon-
sored YZR-M1 MotoGP chal-
lenger for 2023 in a ceremony
held at the Yamaha Indonesia
Motor Manufacturing's 2023
"3S Dealer Meeting," the larg
-
est dealer meeting in the world
within Yamaha's network in
Jakarta, Indonesia.
The new livery, closely
matched to the one the team
used in 2022 with the added
"camo" styling on the top
half of the fairing, is one the
team hopes will propel them
back into title contention
after the implosion that saw
Fabio Quartararo surrender a
91-point lead in the champion
-
ship to Ducati's Pecco Bagnaia.
"This year, we are entering our
11th year with Monster Energy as
our sponsor and our fifth season
with them as our title sponsor,"
said MotoGP Team Principle Lin
Jarvis. "This occasion deserved
a new livery and a fresh start that
matches our military-like focus
as we fight for the 2023 MotoGP
title. As a part of the strong
global alliance between Yamaha
and Monster Energy, the new
look-and-feel will also be adopted
by Yamaha's factory teams in
MX and Supercross, showing our
unity. We are also thankful to our
official team sponsors, partners
and suppliers, many of whom we
have had long-term partnerships
with."
There will be added pres
-
sure on Quartararo's teammate,
Franco Morbidelli, who is enter-
ing his third season with the fac-
tory team and following a dismal
slump in results over the past
18 months, will be riding for his
future with Yamaha determined
to put WorldSBK Champion
Toprak Razgatlioglu in his place
alongside the already signed
Quartararo for 2024.
"We are making a fresh start
today with a new look," Morbidelli
said. "Everything has gone back
to zero and anything is possible
this season, so that is an excit
-
ing prospect. We've ended 2022
with an improved feeling. Now
it's important that we do a good
job at the upcoming winter tests,
so we will be ready to start the
season in March with the first
race in Portugal."
The Yamaha YZR-M1 was
heavily criticized last year as it
was outgunned in acceleration
and top speed by every other
manufacturer, with only Quar
-
tararo's brilliance able to keep the
machine at the front while the
rest of the Yamaha riders (Mor-
bidelli, Andrea Dovizioso and
Darryn Binder) struggled often to
get in the points. To address this,
Yamaha has hired ex-Formula 1
Ferrari engine chief Luca Mar-
morini to squeeze more power
out of the only inline four-cylinder
engine on the grid against the
sea of V4s from Ducati, Honda,
Aprilia and KTM.
The first test of the 2023 Mo
-
toGP season kicks off at Sepang
in Malaysia on February 5-7.
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VOLUME ISSUE JANUARY , P33
Fabio Quartararo (left) and Franco
Morbidelli (right) will be hoping for
more than just a new paintjob in
MotoGP this year.
