Valentino Rossi is happy with the way things are looking at Yamaha for this 2020 MotoGP season. Which is good because it will be crucial for the 41-year-old driver who will decide whether or not to continue his career marked by nine world titles. He already knows that he will leave his official place in the factory team in 2021. But the new version of the M1 has shown promising potential, notably with a better engine on the straight. That being said, competition equipped with the V4 architecture continues to gain more top speed. And this will always be the case, says the Doctor. Here's why…
The top speed table seen during the three days of testing which took place at Sepang is edifying. Between Ducati et Honda, we go out of our way for the best value, leaving nothing to Yamaha and Suzuki only crumbs. These two manufacturers have an in-line four-cylinder engine. Honda, Ducati, Aprilia and KTM rely on V4 engines. Every year the question arises whether the Yamaha in-line engine is still really the right choice.
But according to Valentino Rossi, the question is deeper: “ the inline engine is easier to drive, but a little slower », explains the teammate of Maverick Vinales that holds the top spot. " The V4s are superior in a straight line, and what they get out of it is free, as they say, it requires no effort. Our bike behaves better in the corners, but to really benefit from it you have to take a lot of risks. Our job is not easy. But the online engine is our DNA. Yamaha trusts the Inline-4, nothing will ever change »
Note that with the possibility of being faster in turns, and therefore when exiting them, offered by the new rear tire Michelin, the handicap of the 4-cylinder in-line on the straight has lessened. This season promises to be exciting since, in Malaysia, the gaps were more than reduced between the MotoGP protagonists…
Sepang J.3 test: times
Credit motogp.com
