Jorge Martin "made us feel wanted" amid current MotoGP struggles, says Yamaha boss

Yamaha boss Paolo Pavesio says he signed MotoGP champion Jorge Martin because the Spaniard “made us feel wanted” as the team rebuilds. Yamaha learned that Fabio Quartararo would leave at the end of his current contract to join rival Honda, and identified Martin as the ideal replacement. Pavesio linked the decision to the M1’s recent decline in competitiveness and Yamaha’s ongoing engine transition—after abandoning an inline-four for a V4. Martin won the 2024 title with Pramac, now part of Yamaha’s satellite structure, and is leading the championship heading into the Asia-Pacific flyaway races. Pavesio called it a fair gamble, citing Martin’s proven speed despite missing a year to injury.