Yamaha explains why it chose Martín to rebuild its project

Paolo Pavesio has detailed the reasoning behind Yamaha’s signing of Jorge Martín for 2027. The Yamaha boss says the 2024 champion convinced the team above all because he made it feel that he genuinely wanted to join a manufacturer currently struggling, rather than simply looking for the best available seat.

Yamaha needed at least one top-level rider after Fabio Quartararo’s announced move to Honda. Martín will arrive as the brand launches its 850cc project, after several difficult seasons and a major switch in engine architecture to a V4. Pavesio acknowledges that the choice carries risk for both sides.

The gamble is unusual because Martín is leaving an Aprilia currently capable of fighting for the title to join the manufacturer at the bottom of the order. Yamaha is therefore betting less on an immediate solution than on a rider capable of becoming the centre of its rebuilding project.