Razlan Razali is the boss of a Petronas team which must manage its strategic relations with Yamaha as best as possible. This leads to making choices that do not necessarily respond to logic or will. Thus, when we affirm our vocation to promote young people, we are strongly advised to integrate Valentino Rossi. Likewise, although its best driver in 2020 had a solid run taking him to the place of vice-world champion, it will once again be necessary to provide him with an M1 of the penultimate generation. Razali, however, defended Franco Morbidelli's cause, and he says so...
Franco Morbidelli is the 2020 world vice-champion of MotoGP, and yet, in 2021, he will not be at the technical level of his Yamaha colleagues Vinales, Quarterly et Rossi. This was already the case last season, and it didn't work out too badly: with three victories and a total of five places on the podium, Franco Morbidelli was one of the positive surprises of the crazy and shortened 2020 season.
« We didn't expect to finish second in the championship standings », admitted his team boss Razlan Razali. " But he did it and we hope he can challenge for the title in 2021 ". This is now the goal. However, if success is at the end of the road, it will be an achievement to have achieved the feat of achieving it with a motorcycle dating from last year...
The Italian of 26 years will not have an M1 in factory spec this year. He will work on the so-called “A-spec” version, which is based on the 2019 Yamaha, but which has received updates in the engine, chassis and electronics.
Razali underlines that having the factory Yamaha or not is a false debate
Why, given its latest results, Franco Morbidelli did not have access to equipment that will benefit the other three pilots Yamaha who he beat in the 2020 season? “ We tried “, underlined the Petronas SRT team director. “ When Franky won for the first time at Misano, he came to me and said: 'Razlan, it would be a mistake if I didn't ask: can we push so we can have a factory bike for me next year? 'I assured him I would do my best. I then started discussions with Yamaha, but of course, theThe chances of success were not very promising, for obvious reasons: budget, spare parts and many other things ».
« When he won at Valencia, I asked him: 'Franky, do you still want the factory bike for 2021?' And he said, “No, no. I’m happy with my bike.” It's often more of a psychological aspect because it's a factory. But motorcycles are similar ", said Razali à GPOne.com.
« During the last meeting with Yamaha at the end of 2020, we tried again to get a Factory M1 for Morbidelli, but this was not possible for several reasons. At this difficult time with the health crisis, we are of course also having difficulty finding the necessary additional budget. But we were guaranteed that there will also be changes to his bike. Franky will therefore see improvements on his M1 ", said Razali.
