Yamaha has entered the 2025 MotoGP season with a sense of optimism following a strong winter testing period, but team boss Massimo Meregalli is cautious in his expectations. After a disappointing 2024 season where Yamaha failed to secure a podium for the first time in the modern era, the Japanese manufacturer has been working hard to turn things around. With its new M1 bike and a revamped technical leadership under Max Bartolini, Yamaha’s performance during pre-season tests at Sepang and Buriram has raised hopes for the upcoming season.

However, Meregalli has moved to temper those expectations. He believes that aiming for top five finishes in the 2025 MotoGP season is “a bit too much” at this stage. Although the new M1 has shown impressive form, Meregalli is realistic in his assessment. “We always try to be objective and realistic,” he explained in a recent interview with motogp.com. “I would like to see from the second part of the season a situation that allows us to stay closer to the riders in front.”

Yamaha’s strong showing during the winter tests has not gone unnoticed. Fabio Quartararo, the team’s star rider, has been one of the standout performers, drawing praise from rival teams. Ducati’s team boss, Davide Tardozzi, has even suggested that Yamaha could be one of their biggest rivals for the 2025 season. Francesco Bagnaia, the reigning MotoGP World Champion, and Massimo Rivola have also acknowledged that Quartararo poses a serious threat.

Despite the optimism surrounding Yamaha’s performance in the off-season, Meregalli is keen to manage expectations. “That, for me, is a bit too much,” he reiterated when discussing the possibility of finishing in the top five. Yamaha’s goal, he stated, is to improve gradually, starting with closing the gap to the front-runners. “But at Sepang we got a good sign, and now we also have more engineers, more people, and I hope this will help us speed up everything.”

One of the most significant changes for Yamaha in 2025 is the addition of a satellite team in the form of Pramac, which is expected to help accelerate the development of their bike. For the first time since 2022, Yamaha will field four bikes in the MotoGP grid, which Meregalli sees as a potential advantage. “We have more information to share,” he said. “This new partnership is only powerful. So, we have more data to analyze and use to improve the bike.”

Meregalli is particularly optimistic about the data-sharing benefits. He emphasized that having more riders on the team means there are more insights to work with. “There is always one corner that one rider is faster than the other. It’s a fact. We saw already the benefit of this at Sepang and also here at Buriram,” he noted. The ability to compare and analyze data from multiple riders is expected to help Yamaha refine the M1’s performance and close the gap to its competitors.

While Meregalli is cautious in setting expectations, he remains hopeful that Yamaha can make significant strides as the season progresses. He also highlighted the importance of adapting to the new partnership with Pramac and ensuring that the team is fully integrated. “First of all we really need to get used to it,” Meregalli admitted, referring to the factory-supported satellite team. However, he remains confident that the extra support and data will help Yamaha improve its performance.

The 2025 MotoGP season promises to be a crucial one for Yamaha. After a challenging 2024 season, the Japanese manufacturer is hoping to return to competitiveness with its new M1 and improved team dynamics. While Meregalli remains cautious about the immediate future, the optimism from the winter tests, along with the added support of the Pramac satellite team, could provide the necessary momentum for Yamaha to make a strong push for the podiums in the coming season.

As the season approaches, fans and rivals alike will be watching closely to see if Yamaha can capitalize on its promising winter testing and deliver a more competitive performance in 2025. With Quartararo at the helm and an improved bike, Yamaha could yet prove that it has the pace to challenge the established leaders in MotoGP. However, as Meregalli wisely states, the focus will be on steady progress rather than unrealistic expectations, with the ultimate goal of closing the gap to the front and returning to the top of the grid.