Yamaha has selected Paolo Pavesio to take over from Lin Jarvis as the head of its MotoGP program starting in 2025. The Japanese manufacturer is expected to officially announce Pavesio’s appointment as the Managing Director of Yamaha Motor Racing at the upcoming Misano Grand Prix.
Pavesio, who has spent the past decade in various roles within Yamaha Europe’s Dutch office, the same office where Jarvis worked before joining MotoGP in 1999, currently serves as a Management Committee Member. Although he has no direct MotoGP paddock experience, Pavesio brings valuable racing insights from his involvement with Yamaha’s World Superbike teams.
As the new head of Yamaha’s MotoGP operations, Pavesio will oversee a significant period of transition, including Yamaha’s partnership with new satellite team Pramac. Pramac plans to announce the signing of experienced riders Miguel Oliveira and Jack Miller in the coming weeks. Though not fitting the traditional profile of a ‘junior team,’ Pramac will serve as a ‘team laboratory’ for Yamaha, utilizing seasoned riders to accelerate the development of the M1 bike.
Yamaha is also working on bolstering its test team, with plans to bring in current Tech3 rider Augusto Fernandez to join the injured Cal Crutchlow. The expanded test team aims to enhance Yamaha’s on-track development capabilities as they push to close the performance gap with their rivals.
Additionally, Yamaha is finalizing its Moto2 structure for 2025, aiming to continue its collaboration with the VR46 academy, which has been instrumental in nurturing young talent.
Pavesio faces the challenge of stepping into the shoes of Lin Jarvis, who has been a pivotal figure in Yamaha’s MotoGP success over the past 25 years. Jarvis, who first joined Yamaha’s 500cc world championship squad in 1999 after a stint in Yamaha Europe’s marketing and communication department, announced his retirement from MotoGP at the end of this season during an interview in April.
Jarvis’ tenure has featured significant accomplishments, such as securing a new contract with 2021 World Champion Fabio Quartararo and establishing a satellite team partnership with Pramac, which won last year’s teams’ title with Ducati. He also made strategic hires of senior engineers and technicians, including key figures from Italian rivals, to strengthen Yamaha’s competitive edge.
With these major tasks completed, Jarvis, 66, will step down as Yamaha’s top executive, leaving behind a legacy of success and setting the stage for Pavesio to lead Yamaha into a new era of MotoGP racing.
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