At Petronas Yamaha we don't really know how to evaluate the 2020 MotoGP season which has just ended. With six victories, six pole positions and eight podiums, the Yamaha satellite team, which is only in its second season at this level of competition, cannot be disappointed with the course of events, which gave it the title of best team. However, there is a taste of unfinished business, which Franco Mirbidelli's status as vice-world champion barely softens. Team principal Johan Stigefelt explains…
The Petronas Yamaha color scheme Razlan Razali says he is delighted with the season which has just passed in MotoGP. He thus declares in remarks relayed by Motorsport-total : " although it was an eventful season, there were many positives. The fact that Franco is vice-world champion far exceeded our expectations. We did not expect that. There were some unexpected results, but we looked strong on paper. Although we are a little disappointed, our two-year-old team won six races, took six pole positions and earned eight podiums. We can be proud of it ».
Otherwise, fabio quartararo won the BMW M Award as best qualifier over the entire season. Petronas was crowned best satellite team at the season finale in Portimao. But the team manager Stigefelt remains hungry: “ In my opinion, what we saw was not totally unexpected ».
He explains : " Fabio got stronger and stronger with each race in 2019. He grew as a driver and we also learned as a team. We also got a better bike from Yamaha. He had factory equipment. This is why I expected the best results from Fabio ».
Petronas pleased with Morbidelli's progress
« We didn't put pressure on him, but we expected podiums and victories from him ". A relative disappointment softened by the strong return of Franco Morbidelli : “ it was a little different with Franky because he had difficulties in 2019. But he worked very hard during the winter. Nobody really talked about him, but we were always behind him as a team,” Stigefelt said. “He was getting stronger and stronger, like Fabio in 2019. It was very nice to see his progress and finally see him second in the championship ».
A ranking which remains to this day the best in the history of the young team Petronas. In 2021, Morbidely stays in these Malaysian colors with a Yamaha A-Spec, with Valentino Rossi as a teammate. fabio quartararo will be part of the Yamaha factory team with Maverick Vinales as a cubicle neighbor.
