Biking Legends: Massimo Meregalli

An integral part of Yamaha’s MotoGP project who also helped end their wait for WSBK glory

By Josh Close SPORTS REPORTER

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Massimo Meregalli

Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP Team Director

Massimo Meregalli has been part of the Yamaha motorcycling family since 1988, first as a rider, then in managerial roles in World Superbikes and MotoGP. He oversaw Ben Spies’ WSBK title win in 2009, before moving into MotoGP in 2011. Since then Yamaha have won three MotoGP titles – two with Jorge Lorenzo and one with Fabio Quartararo.

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Massimo Meregalli has been part of Yamaha’s motorcycle racing family for more than 35 years.

The Italian has worked with some of the sport’s biggest names, but Meregalli was also a racer in his own right, following in the footsteps of Fabrizio Pirovano, who was born in the same town.

“We met when I was 16 and I started racing because of him,” Meregalli told MCN. “I lived close to Monza, and on Saturday afternoons and Sunday mornings you could ride a street bike on the circuit. Sometimes I needed a waiver to be signed because I wasn’t 18, but Pirovano, even if my parents didn’t know, used to sign this for me.

“He was a Yamaha rider and introduced me to Yamaha Motor Italia, and I started as a 125 sport production rider. My relationship with Yamaha began in 1988. It’s like my blood became blue. It’s like when you’re a child and you decide on your soccer team – from that moment you don’t change.”

Meregalli competed in Italian championships, World Supersport – winning the inaugural race in 1997 at Misano – and World Superbikes.

His racing career came to an end relatively early when he was asked by the Yamaha Italia president to become team manager of the World Supersport team in 2000. His first riders were James Whitham, who won the opening race of the season, and Paolo Casoli.

“It’s a question you never want to get, but I was 30 and thought I was lucky that I could race as a professional rider for 10 years,” he said. “I didn’t get the success that I could have had, so I accepted a new challenge.

“Davide [Tardozzi] once told me that once you stop, you should change the way you think and hang the helmet up on the wall. For me, the transition was smooth as Supersport gives you the possibility to learn without as much pressure.”

In 2005 Meregalli was tasked with bringing the WSBK title to Yamaha for the first time – no easy task given Ducati and Honda’s dominance of the series at the time. A few years later that dream became reality with the arrival of Ben Spies following Noriyuki Haga’s switch to Ducati.

‘My blood became blue, like deciding your soccer team’

“It was an incredible year because it looked like Ben arrived from another planet. After three or four laps on an unknown circuit for him, he was leading. Many times he’d tell me the race strategy will be this, and by the end he was doing just that. We won that title starting from zero, so perhaps he is the rider I had the best story with.

“One of my regrets is that I could not help him to reach what I believe he could in MotoGP, because he had the speed and had some great races. For me, he had the potential to become MotoGP champion, but I think maybe he needed to trust himself more because when he did believe, I think it showed.”

MotoGP beckoned in 2011, with Meregalli playing a key role in title successes with Jorge Lorenzo (2011, 2015) and Fabio Quartararo (2021).

“Fabio is so talented and capable of adapting to the characteristics of the track and bike,” Meregalli said. “He has what Valentino has; he’s capable of getting 100% from those working with him.

“What I really like, aside from what he’s capable of on the track, is the simplicity. He’s always available and easy to work with. Of course, sometimes he shouts when he’s angry, but the good thing is that 30 minutes later he’s able to put that to one side and focus on what’s next.”

The past season and a half hasn’t been easy for Yamaha and the blue brand has, like fellow Japanese manufacturer Honda, fallen down the pecking order. Even Quartararo is unable to drag the M1 to the front.

“If this situation came 10 years ago, I would have taken it in a different way,” Meregalli said. “Now, with experience, I’ve found a way to manage this in a less painful way, and think in a different way to focus on how to try to improve the situation.

“For me, the passion is something you cannot manage, and I’m still enjoying what I’m doing, just in a different way compared to when I was young, especially in a season like this one. But you always find energy to try to do more – and this is because I have a lot of passion inside.”