MotoGP Team Profile

Yamaha Factory Racing.

Eighteen premier-class riders’ championships on Yamaha machinery, from Giacomo Agostini in 1975 to Fabio Quartararo in 2021.

Kenny Roberts, Eddie Lawson, Wayne Rainey, Valentino Rossi and Jorge Lorenzo all won on Yamahas. No manufacturer has a longer unbroken thread through the top class.

Home
Iwata, Shizuoka, Japan
First premier title
1975, Giacomo Agostini
Most recent
2021, Fabio Quartararo
Riders' titles
18
Constructors' titles
14
18
Premier-Class Titles
On Yamaha machinery, 1975—2021
14
Constructors' Titles
In the premier class
4
Titles for Rossi
2004, 2005, 2008, 2009
2021
Most Recent Title
Fabio Quartararo
Overview

What Is Yamaha Factory Racing?

Yamaha Factory Racing is Yamaha’s works entry in MotoGP, run from Iwata in Japan. Its record in the premier class runs from 1975, when Giacomo Agostini won the 500cc championship on a YZR500, to 2021, when Fabio Quartararo won on the YZR-M1.

Eighteen riders’ championships have been won on Yamaha machinery in the top class. Kenny Roberts took three in a row from 1978, Eddie Lawson three in the 1980s, Wayne Rainey three from 1990, Valentino Rossi four across two spells, and Jorge Lorenzo three.

Yamaha also holds fourteen premier-class constructors’ championships. The two awards are separate — the constructors’ title goes to the marque — and they are not added together. Yamaha’s many 125cc, 250cc, 350cc and sidecar titles are separate again, and are not counted on this page.

Era 01 · 1975—1992

Two-Strokes and Three Americans

Giacomo Agostini gave Yamaha its first 500cc title in 1975. Then came the Americans: Kenny Roberts won three in a row from 1978, Eddie Lawson three more in the 1980s, and Wayne Rainey three from 1990 before the crash at Misano ended his career.

The YZR500 is the bike behind almost all of it, and the yellow-and-black Roberts livery is still the most reprinted thing in this collection.

Yamaha Factory Racing historic YZR500 500cc Grand Prix motorcycle featuring Kenny Roberts's iconic yellow and black livery. Yamaha YZR500 · the two-stroke years
Era 02 · 2004—2015

Rossi, Lorenzo, and the M1

Valentino Rossi joined Yamaha in 2004 and won the championship in his first season with the bike, then again in 2005, 2008 and 2009. Jorge Lorenzo won in 2010, 2012 and 2015.

Seven riders' titles in twelve seasons made the YZR-M1 the definitive MotoGP Yamaha.

Yamaha Factory Racing YZR-M1 Grand Prix motorcycle ridden during the legendary championship-winning eras of Valentino Rossi and Jorge Lorenzo. Yamaha YZR-M1 · seven titles in twelve years
Era 03 · 2016—

Quartararo, and Rebuilding

Fabio Quartararo won in 2021, Yamaha's most recent premier-class championship. The seasons since have been harder, and the factory has been rebuilding the bike around a changed set of regulations.

The eighteen titles behind it are the reason the collection is this deep.

Yamaha Factory Racing Monster Energy YZR-M1 modern MotoGP race bike being ridden on track during recent premier-class rebuilding seasons. Fabio Quartararo · the most recent title
Team Timeline

Yamaha in the Premier Class

1975

First 500cc Title

Giacomo Agostini wins the championship on a Yamaha YZR500.

1978

Roberts Arrives

Kenny Roberts wins the first of three consecutive titles.

1984

Lawson's First

Eddie Lawson takes the championship.

1988

Lawson's Third

A third title for Lawson on a Yamaha.

1990

Rainey Begins

Wayne Rainey wins the first of three in a row.

2004

Rossi Joins

Valentino Rossi wins the title in his first season with Yamaha.

2005

Second for Rossi

Rossi retains the championship.

2008

Third for Rossi

A third title, and Yamaha's constructors' crown with it.

2009

Fourth for Rossi

Rossi's last Yamaha championship.

2010

Lorenzo's First

Jorge Lorenzo wins his first title.

2015

Lorenzo's Third

Lorenzo's last championship for Yamaha.

2021

Quartararo

Fabio Quartararo wins Yamaha's most recent premier-class title.

By the Numbers

Riders' Championship Record

Every premier-class riders' championship won on Yamaha machinery, and whether Yamaha also took the constructors' title that season.
Season,Bike,Riders' Champion,Constructors' Title Car Drivers' champion Double
1975 Yamaha YZR500 Giacomo Agostini Double
1978 Yamaha YZR500 Kenny Roberts Riders' only
1979 Yamaha YZR500 Kenny Roberts Riders' only
1980 Yamaha YZR500 Kenny Roberts Riders' only
1984 Yamaha YZR500 Eddie Lawson Riders' only
1986 Yamaha YZR500 Eddie Lawson Double
1988 Yamaha YZR500 Eddie Lawson Double
1990 Yamaha YZR500 Wayne Rainey Double
1991 Yamaha YZR500 Wayne Rainey Double
1992 Yamaha YZR500 Wayne Rainey Riders' only
2004 Yamaha YZR-M1 Valentino Rossi Riders' only
2005 Yamaha YZR-M1 Valentino Rossi Double
2008 Yamaha YZR-M1 Valentino Rossi Double
2009 Yamaha YZR-M1 Valentino Rossi Double
2010 Yamaha YZR-M1 Jorge Lorenzo Double
2012 Yamaha YZR-M1 Jorge Lorenzo Riders' only
2015 Yamaha YZR-M1 Jorge Lorenzo Double
2021 Yamaha YZR-M1 Fabio Quartararo Riders' only

These are titles won on Yamaha machinery in the premier class. The champions source names the bike rather than the entrant, so it is not claimed here that every one was scored by the factory team — Wayne Rainey's three came with Team Roberts and Eddie Lawson's 1988 with Marlboro Team Agostini. Yamaha's titles in the 125cc, 250cc, 350cc, 750cc and sidecar classes are separate championships and are deliberately excluded: adding them would put the figure near fifty. Read from the premier-class column of the champions tables. Figures verified 14 August 2026.

Sources

  1. List of Grand Prix motorcycle racing World Riders' Champions by year · Wikipedia — premier-class column only
  2. List of Grand Prix motorcycle racing World Constructors' Champions · Wikipedia — premier-class constructors' titles
  3. Photo — 1975 Yamaha YZR500 (OW23) · Rainmaker47 via Wikimedia Commons · CC BY-SA 4.0 · cropped and resized
  4. Photo — Yamaha YZR-M1 (2010) · PekePON via Wikimedia Commons · CC BY-SA 3.0 · cropped and resized
  5. Photo — Yamaha YZR-M1, 2024 Malaysian Grand Prix · Liauzh via Wikimedia Commons · CC BY-SA 4.0 · cropped and resized
  6. Photo — Yamaha YZR500, Kenny Roberts era · AlbertoSossella via Wikimedia Commons · CC BY-SA 4.0 · cropped and resized
  7. Photo — 1990 Yamaha YZR500 (OW01) · Rainmaker47 via Wikimedia Commons · CC BY-SA 4.0 · cropped and resized
  8. Photo — Monster Energy Yamaha, 2025 Malaysian Grand Prix · Liauzh via Wikimedia Commons · CC BY-SA 4.0 · cropped and resized
Machinery

Three Bikes That Made Yamaha

1974—2002 1975 Yamaha YZR500 OW23 500cc Grand Prix motorcycle

Yamaha YZR500

The two-stroke that carried Agostini, Roberts, Lawson and Rainey — ten premier-class titles across nearly three decades.

2002— 2010 Yamaha YZR-M1 MotoGP motorcycle, front three-quarter view

Yamaha YZR-M1

The four-stroke MotoGP bike, and the machine of Rossi's four Yamaha titles and Lorenzo's three.

2021— Fabio Quartararo riding the Monster Energy Yamaha YZR-M1 at the 2024 Malaysian Grand Prix

Yamaha YZR-M1

The bike Quartararo won on in 2021, now being rebuilt around a changed set of regulations.

Riders' Champions
VR
Valentino Rossi
2004, 2005, 2008, 2009
KR
Kenny Roberts
1978, 1979, 1980
EL
Eddie Lawson
1984, 1986, 1988
WR
Wayne Rainey
1990, 1991, 1992
JL
Jorge Lorenzo
2010, 2012, 2015
FQ
Fabio Quartararo
2021
Frequently Asked

Frequently Asked Questions

How many premier-class titles has Yamaha won?
Eighteen riders' championships and fourteen constructors' championships. They are separate awards and are not added together.
Who has won the most titles on a Yamaha?
Valentino Rossi, with four — 2004, 2005, 2008 and 2009.
What was Yamaha's first premier-class title?
1975, when Giacomo Agostini won the 500cc championship on a YZR500.
When did Yamaha last win the riders' championship?
2021, with Fabio Quartararo.
Does this count Yamaha's 250cc and 125cc titles?
No. Those are separate championships. Including them would put the total near fifty, which is why this page counts only the premier class.
What bikes has Yamaha won on?
The two-stroke YZR500 through to 2002, and the four-stroke YZR-M1 since.
Is Petronas Yamaha the same as the factory team?
No. Petronas Yamaha SRT was a satellite team running Yamaha machinery, and its results are not the factory team's.
The Collection

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