MotoGP – Yamaha faced with a “critical” situation which annoys Rins

If you followed the MotoGP Japanese Grand Prix despite the early hours, you certainly didn’t miss Yamaha’s chaotic weekend.

Between an apparent lack of pace, and catastrophic fuel management, which – again – caused Fabio Quartararo to lose precious points in the main race, the Iwata factory did not shine at home, even experiencing some difficulties at home. compare with Honda, the other Japanese brand in the field.

However, the situation seemed to improve for the manufacturer during the last rounds contested, in Misano (Italy), as well as in Mandalika, during the Indonesian Grand Prix. However, certain factors masked the reality of the situation among the Blues.

According to Alex Rins, the results obtained by his garage neighbor, Fabio Quartararo, were due to a favorable combination of circumstances, and undoubtedly hastily raised expectations for the team’s progress.

” In my opinion Misano for Fabio, it’s like Austin for me. He won the championship there, confides Alex Rins after the race in Motegi. Obviously, we still have to set good lap times, enter turn 11 quickly. But hey, we did tests, then a race, then tests, and another race. So for me, the result of Misano was not reality at all. »

In Indonesia, however, Fabio Quartararo followed up with a third consecutive seventh place. The Mandalika route and its rapid sequences was, however, more favorable to the characteristics of the M1. A machine that tends to suffer from rear end lift when braking.

This weakness was exposed on the Motegi circuit, which drivers often refer to as a ‘Stop & Go’ layout. Name given because of the way they approach many corners, which require heavy braking followed by strong acceleration. On this subject, the Spaniard confided that he estimated the time spent fighting with a capricious rear end at three seconds per lap.

Yamaha faces to “A harsh reality”

The team’s current level of performance would therefore be that which was displayed by the Yamaha riders last weekend, as noted with regret by Alex Rins, who judged the situation “critical” during one weekend.

“We have to find something, because this is not the right direction, he continues. I am not satisfied with the work we are doing. The reality now is that putting aside Ducati, Aprilia and KTM Nakagami caught up with Fabio and Zarco super fast. He was much faster than them in the last laps. When Marini passed me, I wasn’t able to pass him. So that’s the reality. The harsh reality. »

Especially since the latter also faced fuel management problems. The latter could have given him an end of the race similar to that of his neighbor in the garage if the latter had not anticipated such a situation during the event. “I put the clutch on most straights during a lap. And I saved some gas. »

In terms of solutions, the Iwata factory also seems to be at an impasse. Certain expectations lie in the successful completion of the brand’s driving project. However, Alex Rins once again describes the reality of a much less pleasant situation.

“We won’t have the V4 for the last races. Hopefully, if all goes well, we’ll have him mid-season next year. But it’s a project. We have to at least find something first.” concludes No. 42.

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