About , February 4, 2018, 7:57
In the box of Valentino and Maverick there are technical doubts: engine, chassis and electronics are being examined.
MotoGP testing at Sepang
The IRTA test at Sepang left lights and shadows in the Yamaha house. If, during the first two days, the new YZR-M1 2018 seemed to have dissipated the doubts of the past, on the third and final day the old termites that ate away an entire 2017 season, with its unresolved problems, returned. Valentino Rossi and Maverick Vinales await the next winter run in Thailand to find out if Iwata's technicians have found the right direction and if the misstep of the third Malaysian day was just a misstep or a premonitory sign for the next one World Championship.
CHASSIS – The certainty revealed by the first winter test is that the 2017 frame was a genuine technical error, if that still needed confirmation. Johann Zarco, during the last day of official testing, delivered his verdict: “I will continue working on the bike I rode last year… at the moment it is the best option for me because it makes the work easier”. A confirmation of the constant complaints from Rossi and Vinales during almost an entire championship, and a clear signal that Yamaha will have to take inspiration from the 2016 chassis to design the 1 M2018 which will be homologated on the eve of the Qatar Grand Prix. “The chassis is based on the 2016 idea” Valentino reiterated. “We have made some modifications and tried a slightly modified version, we are working on it because we do not want to use the old chassis from 2016”. This will not be a simple step back, it will be a matter of reinforcing the strong points of this component to match it with the new Michelin tires and the front carcass inaugurated at Mugello. But changes in weight distribution and stiffness will need to be adjusted before reaping the rewards.
ELECTRONICS – Small steps forward were made on the 2018 prototype, the pace with used tires improved, but on the last day of testing the problem encountered in Valencia mysteriously reappeared: little grip at the rear despite that the pilots used the same equipment as the day before. Mysterious but not too much, because the solution lies in the unique Magneti Marelli control unit, the only one that can provide a response to the sudden wear of the rear. Even before the tests, Silvano Galbusera had already clearly defined Yamaha's main challenge: “Ducati has worked with Magneti Marelli for many years and last year HRC hired an electronics engineer who had worked at Ducati and then Magneti Marelli. These people know everything about the system, so it's easier for them to find the right setting.". Maverick confirms the efforts of Iwata technicians in this regard, but they are still not sufficient: “The power delivery is still a bit abrupt, you have to improve it by working, while the chassis works better with the tires, and that's a step forward. We have mainly worked on electronics, there is still a long way to go, but I am happy with the progress”. At the end of the second day, he revealed the secret of temporary success: “The greatest potential of our official Yamaha comes from the electronic management, moreover, the M1 benefits from good acceleration and is fast in the middle of a curve”. However, something went wrong the next day. “Especially Ducati, but also Honda, are still a step ahead in electronics”, said Valentino Rossi, “but I am confident of an improvement. But it's much better than last year. Here, before, I was always afraid of falling. Now no ".
ENGINE – The new Yamaha is not a revolution, but only an update of the 2017 engine. It guarantees a good top speed, and while it is more delicate in the low revs, it works almost perfectly in high revs. It's another step forward for Rossi and Vinales, who have been working on two slightly different engines, but the bulk of the work is merging all the parts of the new YZR-M1. In Buriram, we will know more.
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