MotoGP: Fabio Quartararo and Alex Rins reveal 2024 Yamaha livery

The Monster Energy Yamaha team has officially launched its 2024 MotoGP campaign in a special presentation ahead of the three-day official Sepang test.

Fabio Quartararo and new teammate Alex Rins revealed the 2024 livery, which largely remains the same aside from some sponsorships changes. The black, grey and blue colour scheme remains, alongside the instantly noticeable Monster Energy claw logo.

Quartararo remains for a fourth consecutive campaign and is desperate for Yamaha’s 2024 M1 to be a big step in the right direction after a rough 2023 campaign. The Frenchman finished 10^th overall with three podiums, as Yamaha failed to record a single victory in a MotoGP season for the first time since 2003.

“It’s the start of the new season – that’s always exciting,” Quartararo said. “Everyone is starting from zero points again, and I know both the team and I are super motivated to get as much work done as possible during the Sepang Test. A good start to 2024 – even if it’s just preseason tests – can result in a big advantage later on.

“So, as always, we will put everything we have into every day, every session, every run, and every lap. I know Yamaha has been working hard behind the scenes, so I think that if we keep pushing ourselves to the limit in all aspects, we should be able to have a great year together. I want to fight at the front, and I want to greet my fans from the top step of the podium again!”

Rins joins Yamaha after a single, injury-hit campaign with LCR Honda. The Spaniard won at the Circuit of the Americas, but broke his leg at Mugello and missed the majority of the season as a result. Rins broke two bones and suffered nerve damage in the accident.

Rins, like Maverick Vinales and Jack Miller, can become the first rider to win a MotoGP race with three different manufacturers in 2024.

“I already had my first taste of the M1 working with the Yamaha team at the Valencia Test and the Shakedown Test, but today’s 2024 MEYM Season Launch event makes me feel excited again as if it’s the first day,” Rins said.

“We had a good first run at the test in Valencia, so I was quite happy with that, and I can’t wait to continue the work here in Sepang tomorrow. I have many things to try, but I’m feeling confident. The bike seems easy to adapt to, so I think I will be able to make some further steps at the Sepang Test. I have been working a lot on my physical fitness to arrive here at the best possible level, and now all I want to do is start riding again!”

Due to the new concession regulations in MotoGP, both Quartararo and Rins, plus test rider Cal Crutchlow, were able to take part in last week’s Shakedown Test at Sepang. Quartararo finished fourth overall, 0.249s off the pace set by Pedro Acosta, whilst Rins finished seventh.

Behind the scenes there have also been changes to Yamaha’s MotoGP management team. Kazuhiro Masuda is now the M1 Project Leader, which Massimo Bartolini takes on the role of Yamaha Factory Racing Technical Director.

Bartolini leaves his role as Vehicle Performance Engineer at Ducati Corse, whilst Marco Nicotra has also left Ducati to become Head of Aerodynamics at Yamaha. Yamaha’s test team will be led by Kazutoshi Seki this season.

“Last year was a tough season, but we have regrouped, restructured our organisation, and now we are ready to make a comeback.” Yamaha Motor Racing Managing Director, Lin Jarvis said. “Having made significant changes to our MotoGP project team and with a new rider line-up, the team feel refreshed and ready to tackle the 2024 season.

“The Yamaha engineers have been working around the clock during the ‘winter break’ and kept developing the bike. So, though the livery remains the same for this season, there is much more to the 2024-spec M1 than is apparent at first glance. 

“At the start of the 2024 championship, we face three pre-season tests followed by a 21-event calendar with 42 individual races, including the Sprints and main Races. In addition to that we have numerous IRTA tests throughout the season as well as many private tests where we can now use our GP riders due to the application of the new Concession rules for 2024.

“So, it will be a long and intense season, where both performance and endurance will count to achieve championship success.”

The Sepang Test takes place on February 6-8, with the two-day Qatar Test following on February 19-20. The 2024 season begins in Qatar on March 8-10.