Takahiro Sumi is a Yamaha project manager who has everything to be happy at the end of 2021. Indeed, his brand has triumphed everywhere. Fabio Quartararo and Toprak Razgatlioglu won the MotoGP and Superbike world championships. Yamaha also dominated the Japanese road racing championship, BSB and MotoAmerica. And yet, in MotoGP, the alert was sounded by World Champion Fabio Quartararo. Like a clap of thunder in a blue sky. Will too much success in 2021 kill the future with engineers who don't see why they should question themselves? Takahiro Sumi responds, in part…
When we hear fabio quartararo claim to Yamaha a more powerful engine on an M1 that the brand has only been evolving through cosmetic touches for years, we wonder about what will happen next in the box of the Iwata firm. The latter can legitimately wonder why she would revolutionize a winning motorcycle. Because it has won seven victories in 14 Grands Prix in 2020 and it is the machine on which fabio quartararo became World Champion.
However, its weaknesses are becoming more and more serious handicaps, especially since Ducati has made his Desmosedici the insatiable winning beast at the end of the 2021 campaign. To his compatriots from mr-bike.jp, the project manager gives his understanding of the facts by first pointing out that the rider and the work of the team count as much, or even more, than the motorcycle… “ Fabio is a driver who wants to push his limits. The key was his feeling up front. When he has a good feeling, he can go to the limit, but he can't do it when he doesn't have a good feeling. This year's bike gave him that feeling. When the rider pushes, the bike can respond properly, which means this year's chassis suits his feel very well. ».
The second factor that led Quarterly to the MotoGP title is mental balance. “ The pilot's mentality has changed when it comes to handling difficult situations, the team was able to regain confidence and calm down even when tension was high. It is the result of mutual trust, now the team can face the weekends with more calm ».
Takahiro Sumi: “ in the case of Fabio we will pay attention to the choice of things«
Certainly, but a calm driver and an efficient team must still be well equipped to continue to win. And that is the part of the contract that must be respected Yamaha : " next year, we will have eight Ducatis, so if our bike doesn't go fast, it will put pressure on the rider » recognizes the Japanese. “ If you don't make a motorcycle where the rider can show his strengths and fight, the rider will be frustrated. So I want to accelerate the development and make the bike capable of fighting ».
This is at least a good intention to display. However, there are some clarifications to take into consideration: “ we listened to all the drivers, so we will never follow just one driver. In Fabio's case we will be careful in choosing things, so there is no hesitation. It is reliable as a development driver, so there is no doubt that it is a high priority. Franco is also a rider who rides intelligently, so I'm counting on him. I can't fight alone against eight Ducatis and the Honda team. Everyone is fast, so we never focus on just one driver ". We won't know more. We will therefore have to wait until the start of February at Sepang to assess the work that Yamaha will have accomplished during the winter break.
