Yamaha became the first MotoGP outfit to unleash the 2023 paint scheme that will adorn its prototype this season, the manufacturer revealing as largely unchanged livery.
With the marque retaining its 2022 rider line-up of last year’s vice-champion Fabio Quartararo and Franco Morbidelli, the aim of the game for Yamaha is consistency going forward from an external view – the brand instead focusing its attentions on the M1 to try and recover the ground it lost to the likes of Ducati and Aprilia in the development race last year.
Unveiled in Jakarta at Yamaha Indonesia Motor Manufacturing’s annual meeting, the 2023 livery retains the same largely blue and black based scheme with heavy branding from title sponsor Monster Energy, with the stripy design from ’22 morphing into one with a camouflaged-looking base – Yamaha making its intentions for war visibly clear.
It also features greater branding from tools supplier Beta, the Italian company getting a small orange decal just to the side of the riders windscreen.
Yamaha Motorsports Development general manager Takahiro Sumi insisted that the manufacturer’s racing operation have been “working tirelessly” to return to title glory after Quartararo narrowly missed out securing a second successive crown to Ducati’s Francesco Bagnaia last year – with the updates it has brought for the M1 leaving Sumi confident of a championship challenge in 2023.
“Since the Valencia Test, YMC’s Motorsports Development Division worked tirelessly to make further steps. Using the feedback from riders and the team, we have made improvements with the aim to contend for the MotoGP World Title again this year,” said Sumi.
“We are starting this season with a blank slate and a positive mindset. We know that the level of MotoGP is higher than ever, and with 42 races the demands on the riders and the bikes reach new levels, but we are ready for the challenge.
“Fabio Quartararo, Franco Morbidelli, and their factory team crews are fully motivated, so we are expecting lots of exciting racing to delight MotoGP fans around the world.”