Max Bartolini: V4 Engine Will Make Yamaha M1 “Completely Different…
Yamaha Technical Director Max Bartolini reveals the new V4 engine will make the M1 a completely different MotoGP bike.
In the aftermath of the Malaysian Grand Prix, Fabio Quartararo shared his positive thoughts on the progress Yamaha has made with its new electronics update, despite new handling issues.
The team’s recent adjustments to traction control have added performance, enabling both riders to finish inside the Top 10 in Sepang. Unfortunately, the new upgrades also demand much more throttle finesse.
“I am much more the traction control now,” Quartararo explained. “We have made some big changes on the electronics. I have to control [it] much more, and it’s much more difficult for me to ride the bike. But we have more performance, and this is what we are looking for.”
The Frenchman is realistic about the progress Yamaha has made – unlocking additional pace likely won’t come from just one area.
“We will never gain half-a-second by only finding the grip, by one thing,” he explained. “I think we have to find half-a-tenth somewhere, half-a-tenth by the electronics, half-a-tenth by the swingarm, by the power.”
Reflecting on Yamaha’s Asia leg of the season, Quartararo found new optimism, especially in the team’s ability to be fast(er) in all sorts of conditions.
“We can take positives from all the [flyaway] circuits. Japan was one of the weakest, but in Australia the pace was great, also in Mandalika. In Thailand, we were fast in the wet and the dry.”
Quartararo is hopeful about Yamaha’s final test of the year, now set to take place in Barcelona. “Barcelona is a great choice [for the test]. It’s been a really tough track for us in the last two years. The grip is super low, and that’s been our weakest point.”
Teammate Alex Rins also echoed the sentiment of improvement, particularly when it comes to feeling more in control of his bike since the electronics tweak. He remarked that the adjustments to the electronics have brought back a familiar feeling he had on the Suzuki two years ago.
“I have the bike a little bit more in my hand, which is so important for me,” Rins noted, referencing how he has regained control over the bike’s spin.
Both riders are looking forward to a productive off-season. Quartararo hinted that Yamaha has “a lot of ideas that we don’t try yet. The winter will be busy for the engineers.”
