Mario Meregalli starts from the beginning: ‘I was a rider, second in the Supersport World Championship. Then the president of Yamaha Italy told me he was tired of throwing money at me and offered me a job as team manager.’

The leap to MotoGP came in 2011 with Ben Spies: ‘A completely different environment, ten times the pressure. But once I got in, I started to do well.’ Then Valentino arrived in 2013: ‘Seven unforgettable years. He has something unique: he manages to get everyone to work at 100%. It comes naturally to you to do something more with him.’

On 2015, when Lorenzo won the world championship and Rossi finished second: ‘We didn't enjoy it because of how things had gone, but it remains unforgettable.’ On Quartararo: ‘He surprised everyone right away and became the benchmark for everyone. In 2022, we lost a 91-point lead.’

The recent turning point? ‘The arrival of Max Bartolini at the end of 2023. He makes himself heard, always explains the reasons for his choices. I've never seen him in difficulty.’ On the V4: ‘In a year and a half, we started from scratch. It's a sign of how much Yamaha believes in the future project.’