Yamaha replaces crew chief for Andrea Locatelli ahead of Magny-Cours round
Yahoo Sports • 1 min read • Latest: Sep 4, 2026, 9:03 PM
Last updated Sep 4, 2026
Yamaha has reshuffled the technical staff for Pata Maxus Yamaha rider Andrea Locatelli ahead of the French Round at Magny-Cours. Emanuele Martinelli will serve as crew chief for the remainder of the 2026 season, replacing Giulio Nava. This change follows a campaign where Locatelli has struggled to replicate his previous performance, falling outside the top 10 in the current standings without a podium finish. Yamaha sporting manager Niccolo Canepa stated that the adjustment aims to help the rider regain confidence after expectations went unmet. Nava will remain with the organization as a performance analyst across both the Pata Maxus Yamaha and GYTR GRT Yamaha teams. The new pairing begins their collaboration during the final four rounds of the year.
- •Emanuele Martinelli replaces Giulio Nava as Locatelli's crew chief.
- •The change applies to the final four rounds of the 2026 season.
- •Giulio Nava will transition to a performance analyst role for Yamaha.
- •Locatelli sits outside the top 10 in the 2026 standings.
- •The team initiated the change at the French Round at Magny-Cours.
- 9:03 PMYahoo Sports — Locatelli Pins WSBK Season Reset on New Crew Chief
"Photo by Yamaha Racing. Andrea Locatelli's 2026 has slid far enough that Yamaha is reshuffling his garage midseason. Starting from the French Round at Magny-Cours, the Pata Maxus Yamaha rider will work with a new crew chief, Emanuele Martinelli, replacing Giulio Nava for the final four rounds of the year, WorldSBK.com confirmed. Niccolo Canepa, Yamaha Motor Europe's road racing sporting manager, spoke to the WorldSBK world feed during FP1 at Magny-Cours and did not dress up the situation. "On Lo
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