The Japanese manufacturer has reduced the gap with other teams during this winter: here are the feelings of the riders at the end of the preseason tests.
A revolution at Yamaha, with the goal of returning to the glories of the last decade. To achieve this, the Japanese company is making a series of significant changes, relying on the talent of Fabio Quartararo and Alex Rins, under the guidance of team director Massimo Meregalli.
Fabio Quartararo’s words:
Fabio Quartararo spoke to the team’s microphones: “I think we’ve made a small step forward compared to last year. This test was a bit complicated for me: like yesterday, the front tires were not our strong point during these two days, so we need to figure out how we can improve for the first race. But I think that, based on our riding, we’re doing quite well.
We hope to make a step forward with the feeling at the front, which is usually our strong point for the race. I think our level is different from last year, but we want to enter this season without expectations and simply do our best.”
To solve this problem at the front, as explained by Mauro Sanchini on Sky Sport’s “Reparto Corse” program, Yamaha has made a modification to the tail section of the bike. The Japanese manufacturer moved the ECU to add more weight to the rear of the bike and, consequently, gain more grip at the front. Another effect of this modification is that the “suspended weight” helps reduce rear vibration.
Alex Rins’ words:
Next, Alex Rins responded: “I’m satisfied with the work we’ve done during the preseason. We’ve done many days of testing here in Buriram and Sepang, and we’ve concluded this test with good conclusions. I feel quite confident. I’ve improved my riding style and the bike setup, so now I’m able to be more consistent compared to last year.
We definitely need to continue working to find those 0.3-0.4 seconds to improve our lap time, but overall I’m quite happy. I feel ready to start the season.”
Massimo Meregalli’s words
Finally, here are the words of Meregalli:“This test was different from Sepang. In these two days, we mainly focused on setting up the bikes for the GP, dedicating a lot of time to adjusting the electronics. On the first day, we encountered some difficulties because the track was very ‘green,’ and it was hard for all the riders to find a good feeling with the front end.
Today, the track conditions improved, and the situation got better. We did a good Sprint race simulation, and at the end of the day, we did a couple of time attacks that showed we were still able to close the gap to the fastest time even at Buriram. Now we have just enough time to analyze all the data, rest after spending 20 days in Asia, and get ready for the start of the season ,” concluded the Monster Energy Yamaha team director.
Photo: Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP
