Andrea Locatelli on Yamaha’s Superbike slump: “Of course, the stress is mounting”

The lack of success is taking its toll on Yamaha. Whilst Ducati dominates the 2026 Superbike World Championship, the Japanese manufacturer is still waiting for its first podium finish of the season. Works rider Andrea Locatelli is not sugar-coating either the sporting situation or its impact on the atmosphere within the team.

“We’re a long way off the front. We’ve got a lot of work ahead of us,” the Yamaha works rider made clear when asked by SPEEDWEEK.com. When asked about the mood within the team, the Italian spoke openly about how difficult day-to-day life becomes when hard work doesn’t yield the hoped-for results.

“You can certainly imagine that it’s not so great going to work when things aren’t going well. I try to be as professional as I can. I believe in Yamaha. Always!”

Great loyalty: Locatelli trusts Yamaha

Last year, Locatelli made a conscious decision to continue his partnership with the manufacturer. He remains committed to this decision despite the current difficulties. His main contribution is to provide the team with as precise information as possible to aid the further development of the R1.

“Last year, I made the decision to carry on with Yamaha. I’m working hard and trying to provide as much feedback as I can. I’m doing my best to give the engineers the best possible feedback.”

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At the same time, Locatelli knows that the gap to the front-runners cannot be closed by the rider’s efforts alone. The possibilities during a race weekend are limited. The progress that results from this is not entirely in his hands. “But we can’t work magic. We have to be realistic and work with the tools we have. I can’t control what happens.”

Die Yamaha R1 ist 2026 nur bedingt konkurrenzfähig

Foto: Gold & Goose

This isn’t a rejection of the project, but a sober assessment of the situation. Locatelli wants to continue doing his bit, but makes it clear that the sporting problems are also taking their toll on the people within the team.

Greater tension than in the past

“Of course, stress levels in the team rise when things aren’t going well. That’s the case in any job, but also in life in general. If you’re not getting on well with your partner, it’s difficult to go home.”

With this comparison, the Italian describes just how much a lack of success can affect day-to-day interactions. His approach, however, remains to work closely with everyone involved and to look for ways to improve. “I’m working as hard as I can with my crew, my team principal and Yamaha. I believe in this project and think we can improve.”