After days of problems, Yamaha takes stock – The new engine causes concern in Sepang, but there is also progress – Nevertheless, there is still a lot of work to be done for Thailand
Yamaha made negative headlines at the Sepang test. On Wednesday, they had to take a break to identify a problem with the new V4 engine. The cause of the damage was finally determined and the program continued on the final day.
“Yes, it was a huge relief for us when we got the information from Japan,” team manager Massimo Meregalli told MotoGP.com. “I think they had a really long night between Japan and Italy.”
“But luckily, the engineers were able to pinpoint the cause of the problem, and so we got the green light to resume work on the track. So, it was a problem we had never had before. It was very important for them to understand it.” Fabio Quartararo was no longer there. In a crash on the first day, the former world champion broke a finger on his right hand and traveled back to Europe from Malaysia for further treatment. Since Yamaha had already participated in the shakedown test, the one lost test day did not weigh so heavily. Fundamental decisions could be made regarding the chassis, swing arm, and aerodynamics. The package for the test in Thailand was put together.
With the new V4 project, Yamaha is still the slowest brand in the field. Top speed is a big issue because it is the slowest motorcycle on the straights. In addition, the riders complained about poor turning behavior.
“Things like this are just part of the process,” said veteran Jack Miller, assessing the situation pragmatically. “It would be naive to expect everything to run smoothly. We’re riding the most powerful machines in the world at their limits here.”
“Sometimes you just have to stop for a moment, reassess what needs to be done, and then get back to work. Of course, I had hoped for a little more from this test, but I’m really convinced that the bike still has a lot of potential.“
”The last few days have been intense,“ said Miller. ”A lot of parts were fitted and then removed again. The key thing is not just to try things out, but to analyze exactly what works and what doesn’t, and where you can find the right compromise for the future.”
Alex Rins also confirmed that the important aspects had already been sorted out during the shakedown and on the first day of testing. Due to the lost day of testing, the Spaniard worked more on the setup on the final day and also did a sprint simulation.
Rins also revealed: “We’ll also have new engines for Thailand, so we’ll be able to ride more there.” Acceleration is very crucial in the stop-and-go section of the Buriram track. In Sepang, Rins set the best Yamaha time. He was 1.1 seconds off the pace. Miller was 1.7 seconds off the lead and rookie Toprak Razgatlioglu was just under two seconds behind.