2022 has been a strange year for Yamaha. It started off on the wrong foot, when the Japanese factory was forced to give up on the more powerful engine they had intended to race this season and run a revised version of the 2021 engine (which, thanks to the Covid-19 engine freeze, was basically the 2020 engine) for this year.
Despite the obvious lack of engine performance, by the time MotoGP reached the summer break after Assen, Fabio Quartararo had a comfortable lead in the championship, sitting ahead of Aleix Espargaro by 21 points, and the man billed as his main title rival for 2022, Pecco Bagnaia, by 66 points.
Elsewhere, there were signs of trouble. While Quartararo was winning races and leading the championship, his Monster Energy Yamaha Franco Morbidelli was struggling just to score points. Over at the RNF team, Andrea Dovizioso jumped on a Yamaha only to find he had spent too long on a Ducati to be able to figure out how to ride it, and retired again after Misano. Darryn Binder had a big hill to climb going straight to MotoGP from Moto3, and found himself crashing along the way. And after the summer break, RNF announced they would be switching to Aprilia for the 2023 season.
The period after the summer break was particularly hard for Yamaha. Once the Ducatis found their feet, and Pecco Bagnaia understood the error he was making which saw him crash so often in the first half of the season, Bagnaia started reeling Quartararo in, only to overtake him at the end.
To review such an eventful season, I spoke to Yamaha Racing Managing Director Lin Jarvis at Valencia. I met him just after FP1 on Friday, when Fabio Quartararo still had a theoretical chance at the title. Jarvis took a long and in-depth look back at 2022, as well as a look ahead at 2023. He discussed how the season had developed, what the loss of RNF means for Yamaha and their determination to find a replacement, and the increasingly important role for test rider Cal Crutchlow.
Jarvis gave his perspective on what he thought had gone wrong with Franco Morbidelli's season, and how Yamaha had attempted to fix it. And he looked ahead to the introduction of sprint races for next season, and the impact they will have on the teams.
But first, the Yamaha boss looked back at 2022. "Firstly I would say I will reserve my feeling until Sunday afternoon," Jarvis said. "Because obviously we are still in the game, we could still pull off a remarkable miracle on Sunday. Or not. Let's see what happens. We started well just now. So let's wait and see, because at the end of the day, the final conclusion of how you feel about the season really depends on the final result, whether you achieve the goal or not."
Unfortunately for Yamaha, the hoped-for miracle did not occur. Quartararo fought bravely and fiercely, but the win he needed was not on the cards. The Frenchman crossed the line in fourth, relinquishing his title to Pecco Bagnaia, giving Ducati their first riders title since Casey Stoner in 2007.
"But if we put that aside, it's been an arduous year in many ways, I'd say. We started on the back foot at the beginning of the season, by not being able to have the increase in power that we had wished for. So we knew that from the very beginning of the season that it was not going to be an easy year. So that was the first point, and I think Fabio took some time to adjust to that mentally at the beginning of the year as well," Jarvis explained.
That failure to bring more horsepower was also the reason that Fabio Quartararo's contract renewal took longer than expected, as Yamaha had to pull out all the stops to convince the Frenchman that they would not make that mistake again. Once they did, Quartararo was able to focus on getting all he could out of 2022.
"Then he got into his stride," Jarvis said. "He's very good at compartmentalizing things, as most of these top riders are. So after dealing with that fact and frustration, he put it to one side, got on with the job, and maximized what he could out of the package. Fabio was able to extract the maximum out of the bike, which we know he could and can do, and he's very very well suited to the Yamaha."
While Quartararo thrived, the other Yamaha riders were in trouble. "The other Yamaha riders struggled for various reasons," Jarvis explained. "Frankie never seemed to get into his stride this year. We got to the end of the first half of the year after trying many many things and said, look, it's time for a reset, we need to try something different, we need to try something new, we still have half a season ahead of us, let's try a different approach. Which we did, and it started the second half of the season a little better."
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Comments
Why couldn't they use the more powerful engine?
I forget why Yamaha couldn't use their more powerful engine. Can someone provide a link?
In reply to Why couldn't they use the more powerful engine? by nickridiculous
Reliability
Reliability
In reply to Reliability by WaveyD1974
Either way, Yamaha lost this championship, not Fabio
Well Pecco won it with world class riding, but Ducati provided him with a decent tool.
Yamaha built an engine that made power, but they wouldn't let Fabio use it, because if it went pop then Yamaha would look bad.
Instead, Fabio had to ride constantly on the edge to stay with the Ducatis and when he got it wrong he crashed and it wasn't as conspicuously Yamaha's fault.
So Yamaha is paying FQ20 to put his body on the line because they couldn't (or wouldn't) give him the engine he asked for.
Even at the pinnacle of motorsport, sometimes you get paid to fall on the sword, because your employer doesn't want to. I feel like the big winner here was Dovi, who left mid season!
In reply to Either way, Yamaha lost this championship, not Fabio by nickridiculous
With respect Nick...in my
With respect Nick...in my opinion...ridiculous. Sorry, had to, it's the name.
If they had given him a engine that wouldn't last then maybe he wouldn't have any extra dnf. Maybe the engine would have popped before he hit Aleix or got tangled up with Marc or dropped it in Australia. More likely Fabio would have more dnf. Maybe we could say that they had nothing to lose and should have risked it ? Well, they got to the last round with a mathematical chance of taking the title...in other words, they had a lot to lose.
Fabio has said himself that some component of his struggles in the early races was his own attitude, moaning too much about the bike. The 'bike' went well between Portimao and Sachsenring, leading the championship. He crashed in Assen trying to overtake Aleix. He chose to attempt it on that lap and that corner. His call. Very unlucky in Aragon but again, his call put him in the unlucky position. Australia was his error, the race was won by a Suzuki with a Honda second... It's strange to blame Yamaha for making Fabio make mistakes. He was riding the bike and he had the choices. His performance in Austria was brilliant but after that he struggled until his championship was truly screwed after Australia. Then he was fast again. Weird that.
As a back drop to his season the lack of power from the Yamaha was a handicap but he proved he was capable of taking the title despite that....helped by Pecco dropping the Ducati too often. However, Fabio made mistakes and that's why he got to the last round with such a tiny chance of taking the title. He lost out by 17 points + 1 point because of Pecco's larger number of wins. (18 points = 3 * 10th placed finishes)
Sprint Races' hidden costs; investing in entertainment value...
"It's a significant extra burden on the riders, in my opinion. And definitely on the teams," Jarvis said. "I think it will result in higher costs eventually, for various reasons, and one of those being crashes.”
Given the addition of Sprint Races comes after most rider contracts have been signed, will they be compensated?
The Sprint races will mean more aggressive riding. Half as many laps to make your move. The field will be less spread out. Less practice time to make adjustments. How is it possible NOT to incur more damage to bike and riders, all disproportionate to the number of points on offer.
“…something needs to be done to raise the profile of the championship, according to Jarvis. ‘Because providing more entertainment for the people at the racetracks is great, but we need to get more people INTO the racetracks.’ ”
"Raise the Profile" equals "Raise the Money" to sustain increased costs. But is getting people into the physical racetrack the first order of business? Media coverage attracts sponsorship and builds the fan base. Then people show up at the tracks. I wonder what Dorna is doing to make it easier to watch races in the biggest markets (Indian subcontinent, SE Asia). Sadly, as a North American, I get it that we are no longer the target market. I’d like to see Dorna invest some (or more?) money into subsidizing, vs. profit-making, for major broadcast packages for just a few key races each year - either through free media channels, or a few races free via their streaming services (I've subscribed to MGP and SBK for 14 years now). You know, “the first hit is free.”
Also, media coverage and promotion (sadly, or not?) are attracted to the new and novel. See MotoAmerica “King of the Baggers” and “Build-Train-Race.” I thought gimmicky, but they piqued my interest. They aren’t featured at every round, but they still bring attention to the whole series. So what could happen in three or four MotoGP rounds? I dunno. A former champions series? A women's series? Maybe Ducati in MotoE will help…
In reply to Sprint Races' hidden costs; investing in entertainment value... by Merlin
Tasters
I think you’re onto something there. Looking at football in the UK, there is just about enough premier league action available free to air to draw people in and no doubt plenty go on to subscribe to Sky or BT. The same is kind of true for F1, I don’t watch it but I think you get a mix of highlights and full races FTA, so I expect people do go on to subscribe and I t somehow maintains its position at the apex of motorsport.
I agree with Jarvis that adding sprint races alone isn’t likely to do the trick; but Dorna could perhaps use them as FTA loss leaders. It’s no good having the odd one or two races FTA each season, I think very few people are magically converted into subscribers for life through seeing one race by accident. It needs the drip, drip, drip of regular, sustained exposure.
As to sprint races increasing attendance at events, personally I can’t see that happening much but will be happy to be proved wrong. My thinking is that most people who attend for more than one day are die-hards who already do whole weekends, and very few people just looking for some weekend entertainment are going to spend two days at a track. Even I’ve had enough after one day (lightweight, here)!
In reply to Tasters by Lilyvani
Excellent idea Lilyvani!
Brilliant: "...Dorna could perhaps use them as FTA loss leaders. It’s no good having the odd one or two races FTA each season, I think very few people are magically converted into subscribers for life through seeing one race by accident. It needs the drip, drip, drip of regular, sustained exposure."
Airing the Sprint Races for free could go some ways to justify their increased risks and cost. Dorna has already committed to it, so no need organize a new series. Few, if any, incremental costs. No need to worry about non-MotoGP tire rubber contaminating the track surface (like you'd have if a new series were on-track). Potential fans get an action-packed show in a format that broadcasters could fit into a half-hour programming window. Potential new sponsors for this FTA broadcast get a taste of a new viewing audience. And like you say, that steady drip, drip, drip... I would love to point my friends to this, vs. convincing them to drop $100+ USD to sign up for the video pass. Lots to like about your idea! Dorna - do this (David - could you advocate?)
In reply to Tasters by Lilyvani
Alternatively...
Alternatively, the sprint races could be viewed as added value to justify higher ticket prices for the promoters. I did a very quick look at the 3-day ticket prices on the MotoGP website for a couple of the 2023 races and they seem *very* cheap at (ballpark) ~€150 for a 3-day GA ticket and ~€300 grandstand seat compared to F1, who's new Las Vegas race starts at US$500 for a 3-day GA ticket, and US$2,000 for a grandstand seat. Sure, MotoGP is not F1, but the basic business model is probably similar.
I have a different long-term view
I don't have any personal animus toward Lin Jarvis (he seems nice enough... definitely more personable that Alberto The Merciless), but I look at the history of Yamaha over the last handful of years and I see a different underlying cause.
Rossi's defection to Ducati after feeling snubbed by Yamaha... the whole 2015 Sepang mess... losing Lorenzo to Ducati... split garages and lots of acrimony... Valvegate... Maverick's meltdown(s)... losing their satellite team... an increasingly uncompetitive engine despite years of riders asking for more...
I look at it all and see that one of the common threads throughout all of it was Lin Jarvis. From my seat in the bleachers, he seems to have a well-developed knack for mismanaging problems and then having to clean up the messes.
I know that there will be plenty of people to say that "It's not his fault" and tell me that I'm wrong, but in my experience these all point to failures of leadership. And the figurative head of the Factory Yamaha team has been Lin Jarvis all this time.
Leadership matters. He may be a nice guy, but he seems increasingly unable to effectively manage the problems that continue to surround this team.
In reply to I have a different long-term view by Buddykitchen
Grocery list
That’s a helluva grocery run you have lined up for Jarvis.
Not sure how much of it you can reasonably hold him responsible for: he can’t march into Hamamatsu and start grinding cams, he can’t be inside Rossi’s/Vinale’s helmets during their moments of self-immolation, and trying to control Lorenzo in any way shape or form was a fool’s errand. (Dog’s hate to be pushed, cat’s hate to be lead: Lorenzo is a cat)
And while egos may have been bruised over filthy lucre, we are also seeing Rossi’s patriotism with his VR46 academy, Jarvis couldn’t provide the innate attraction of an Italian bike…a bike looking awfully good thanks to the brilliance of Stoner. Nor could Jarvis provide the alluring possibility of a WC with a 3rd manufacturer.
Not saying Jarvis is perfect but not really sure what he could do differently given the ego’s and engineering issues outside his purview.
In reply to Grocery list by Seven4nineR
What Sevenr4nineR said
Jarvis isn't Yamaha Japan, and he's got to deal with what, a hundred employees or more, all of whom are very talented and no doubt have egos of their own? Not to mention psychotics like Lorenzo, Vinales, and yes, even Rossi in his own way. I think he does a pretty good job. Clearly Yamaha thinks so.
In reply to I have a different long-term view by Buddykitchen
Events Bigger Than One Man
Rossi leaving for Ducati was an event much bigger than Jarvis, despite Rossi crafting another entertaining tale about mistreatment by the team. Split garage, which initially started when Rossi switched to Bridgestone in 2008 was another event much bigger than Jarvis and his executive powers within Yamaha’s MotoGP team.
You could argue that he mismanaged and demotivated Vinales, and let a scandal fester where none needed to exist. Riders turn MotoGP machines into chewing gum on a regular basis, but a rider bouncing a bike off the rev limiter is just too much for them to take (boohoo).
But maybe that event could have been beyond Jarvis’ control, since it may have been the Japanese moaning about loss of face that fueled the fire.
In the grand scheme Lin has become an institution. Yamaha went from a nine year title drought, with the ghost of Rainey looking over their team to perennial front runners.
Fabio scored 8 points in 4 races coming down the home stretch. If he had a better run, Jarvis would be the roadrunner to Ducati’s Wile E Coyote.
In reply to I have a different long-term view by Buddykitchen
From a distance
I’m afraid I’m with the others on this one. I’ve been watching the bikes since well before Jarvis came on the scheme, so from a distance have seen his entire career as MD. But I don’t have the faintest insight into what he actually does, day to day, or his management of issues so therefore have no idea if he’s great at his job or hopeless. It’s sometimes tempting to judge performance entirely on outcomes, but IMHO that approach favours fair weather opportunists. I’d much sooner employ someone who does the best that can be done to deal with a crappy situation, even if the outcome is not what I’d have wished for in the bigger picture.
In reply to From a distance by Lilyvani
Valvegate
I still recall LJ's masterful handling of the valvegate drama in 2020. Hearing about it I formed the opinion 'wow, they were straight out caught cheating", then listened to an interview (by Crafar IIRC) with LJ and he made it all sound perfectly innocent and understandable. A superbly skillful political operator.
Like Lilyvani above, I've been watching GP's for a long time and remember Yamaha way before Jarvis. When I first started watching Ago was running (if you want to call it that) the factory Yamaha team. I also have no idea of how good or bad he is in his job. His very often sour-faced look on TV (together with his slithery politician-like smoothness as mentioned above) makes it easy to form a fan-level antipathy. It's true that at some point the manager should be held accountable for poor performance and issues with personnel. But given he's still there he must be doing some things very right.
One of Simon Crafar's great strengths is being able to interview people like Jarvis - or even more so Puig - and cut through their work-based hardness and shine a light on their underlying good character. This article is another example of a superbly skilled journalist doing the same in print. Thanks David.
In reply to Valvegate by breganzane
Crafar vs Puig
I see their conversations more as the bear (Puig) being stuck by someone holding a long stick (Crafar). I find it immensely entertaining.
In reply to Crafar vs Puig by larryt4114
The bear
Doesn’t seem to mind somehow. I think he has genuine respect for Crafar so is more open occasionally.
I think I even heard him laugh during one interview.
Chapeau Simon.
In reply to The bear by SP_won
Respect for Crafar
I think everyone in the paddock has that. In his first year as a commentator he was awful, but has improved dramatically. Clearly, his experience as a genuine 500 cc top gun and nice guy has endeared him to many, just check out how much time Herve Poncheral has for him, for example -- and also, how Puig puts up with him pushing hard questions at him, lol.
As for the chapeau thing, you've been listening to Neil in the podcasts, too often, lol.
In reply to Respect for Crafar by larryt4114
Ha
I’ve also heard Lin Jarvis drop the odd chapeau too, so I thought it would be fitting.
In reply to Respect for Crafar by larryt4114
Oops double
Post
In reply to Respect for Crafar by larryt4114
Simon
Simon is great now after a roughish start. He said one of the funniest things I've ever heard in an interview. When he was wrapping up his interview with Casey Stoner he deadpanned, "Is there anything you've always wanted to ask me?" Casey looked as though he'd just been dropped on an unfamiliar planet until Simon laughed.
In reply to Valvegate by breganzane
Disagree
There were many hard, elucidating questions that this article didn’t attempt to probe.
LJ was allowed to manipulate and politicise all of the responses. We have learned nothing, this was a long form press release.
”Yamaha have maintained a highly conservative attitude towards bike development for what seems like decades, why in the face of aggressive opposition have you allowed the only progressive force of pace to be one rider who has repeatedly asked for the same thing to help him compete?”
“Having lost a valued ally in tech 3, who left due to an antiquated hierarchical structure that appears to have made them feel rightfully hamstrung for results, funding and relevance why was the incredibly fruitful, and lucky, replacement at petronas and later RNF, allowed to whither on the vine? You were beaten this year, in part, by force of numbers, why aren’t yamaha pursuing an aggressive strategy of satellite partners to support the lead rider and machine development?”
”FM finished runner up in 2020 having competed on only 2 engines for the entire year, those engines were factory refreshes from the 2019 factory bikes and still made it to the end of the season. Ramon Forcada stated that the ‘19 bikes which franky inherited and the ‘20 bikes were thermodynamically identical. Why, in the face of aggressive pursuit of VMAX and free laptime in 6th gear from your competitors have Yamaha continued to follow a conservative development strategy?”
”why, in the face of FM’s lacklustre results, was a major bid not made to hire Toprak for this year? Was it money?”
”In the face of the collapse of Yamaha’s satellite program why have YRT not made use of the VR46 publicity and talent pool through their atavistic relationship to the most marketable person in the sport’s history creating a stream of talent for the brand’s future? The fact that they’re now running the feeder team for Ducati must be a tremendous loss of marketing and results opportunities when the relationship had so much potential return?”
”Maverick had an excellent start to the year but Aprilia seemed to flounder in the later part of the season with considerable public frustration from their riders. having seen first hand this exact situation last year, are there any similarities to Yamaha’s traditionally strong starts and lacklustre finishes? Is there a resource issue that you mitigate against through excellent planning in the off season? A Stable base product carefully refined but close to it’s peak potential that your competitors accelerate past as the season continues?”
“Are you and by proxy Yamaha corporate not embarrassed by being consistently the slowest bike on the grid? It cost you the championship this year, how much longer can you rely on the talent and dedication of your personnel to stay relevant when the materiel is always a step behind?”
”why aren’t yamaha in moto3 when almost all the vehicles you sell are small capacity vehicles ridden by kids in emerging markets for the sport?”
”Tell us about the loss of Suzuki. Is this a dangerous precedent for other factories when a competitive bike drops out while performing at such a high level in a class this competitive? Are you hiring any of their excellent staff at the factory or for the upcoming satellite team you claim to be pursuing?”
In reply to Disagree by ehtikhet
I think you're right on the money, Ehtikhet
This is exactly what I'm talking about. There's so much that SHOULD be asked of Lin Jarvis or laid at his feet, yet he's consistently given free passes or softball questions. But the results can no longer be ignored - Yamaha has been in decline for years, their bike becoming increasingly uncompetitive and its weaknesses more and more apparent, while Ducati go from strength to strength, Aprilia has taken a huge leap forward, and even Suzuki managed to buck the long-held belief that an inline-4 bike can be made to turn well, but can't make the power to compete with Ducati on a long straight.
The comments from others about how "Jarvis has been there for a long time, so he must be doing something right" are myopic at best, and show a complete lack of understanding of the difference between likeability and effective leadership. From where I sit, Lin Jarvis continues to have his job because he's learned how to navigate Japanese bureaucracy and cultural norms. He doesn't rock the boat, so that pleases the Board in Iwata. But an un-rocked boat means nothing if there's a hole in the hull and it's taking on water.
There's an old adage that there are two types of Army Generals - political Generals and battlefield Generals. In the heat of battle, you want battlefield Generals leading the troops, not political ones. Political Generals will make decisions that jeopardize the mission, because they're more worried about covering their own arses back at the home base. Battlefield Generals are focused on the mission above all else, and aren't beholden to popular opinion back home.
Lin Jarvis is a political General. He is NOT a battlefield General.
Yamaha are in deep **** because of their internal inertia, corporate bureaucratic structure, and the overall conservative Japanese nature. I don't have faith that Lin Jarvis is the man to lead the factory team out of it, because frankly I think he's the guy who led them into this mess to begin with. He seems too worried about working within the existing structure (which was fine when they were the best bike on the grid), rather than having the courage to forcefully say, "This is broken, and we need to start fresh."
I would pay Real Money to see a moto journalist - ANY journalist - ask genuinely tough questions. But I suspect that most journalists are too afraid to have their access revoked by Dorna and the factories to ask a question that could make someone genuinely uncomfortable. The only exception I see to this right now is Mat Oxley.
In reply to I think you're right on the money, Ehtikhet by Buddykitchen
Without Pecco at Ducati,
Without Pecco at Ducati, Fabio would be champion this year with Yamaha. That's not to say that Ducati are not ahead, if Pecco hadn't dropped it so often the title might have been wrapped up with four rounds to go but without Pecco, they would not have taken the riders title. Of course without Pecco they may instead have been 'with' Fabio but we will never know how that might have turned out because he was riding for another team. Having the right rider at the right time makes all the difference. Under Lin Jarvis, Yamaha have always had good riders...well before 2004 not so successful but since 2004. As far as I remember, Lin runs the team that runs the bikes. He doesn't design them, he doesn't lead the design philosophy, he runs the team that runs the bikes. In that respect, he ran the team that lost in the last round using, so I read, the slowest bike on the grid. Hats off to Jarvis.
In reply to I think you're right on the money, Ehtikhet by Buddykitchen
2021
You do realise they won the World Championship in 2021?
And that Morbidelli, on the M1, was the form rider at the end of 2020, finishing 2nd in the WC just 13 points behind Mir? (much closer than Fabio in 2022)
Sorry, the facts don’t reflect your assertions.
As for “rather than having the courage to forcefully say, “this is broken, and we need to start fresh." it’s worth taking a look at HRC and asking how that worked out for them.
In reply to Disagree by ehtikhet
Wow, inspiring Etiquette!
Wow, inspiring Etiquette! Literally. Thanks!
BaBOOM
(The one and only factor that did negatively hinder Japanese bikes over European ones? More rigorous and lengthy public health mandates keeping work from being done for 2020 and 2021 to curb the Covid pandemic - Italy and Japan were extreme opposites. It was pretty crazy! Ok, so that was there).
The rulebook has been handed to/taken hold of by Ducati. Aero, ride height. Got it.
And, STILL wee Suzuki with (half?) the resources and 2 bikes was able to do the business. With RINS (seen as mortal, no anomoly Alien) in regular conditions and circumstances, not gifted or lucked into. Yamaha and Honda brass have been, in very different ways, underfunctioning for a while. And they have the two Aliens.
Which, if you think about it, is pretty cool right? Aleix Espargaro on an APRILIA a Title contender?! Suzuki winning dry races? And yes, the Ducati is a good handling bike and easy on tires whilst keeping the hugest normally aspirated missile motor ever seen in a sportbike. (No citation, feel free to fact check me as I'd enjoy hearing otherwise!).
Interesting times. We have no WCM, Tech3 on Dunlops, CUBE, Illmore etc.
Now, about that "2019" new front tire...
In reply to I have a different long-term view by Buddykitchen
Disagree.
Yamaha's problem is simple - hubris.
When they win it's because their bike is superior.
When they lose it's because their rider is inferior.
It's taken them too long to accept that the reality of an inferior bike.
Ducati had the same issue post 2007, after Stoner had "proven" their bike was superior.
In reply to Disagree. by XCOM
That sounds ...
... more like Honda than Yamaha, to me. It wasn't that long ago that Yamaha management apologized to their riders for not providing a good enough machine.
In reply to That sounds ... by larryt4114
Agree Larry. I'm not sure a
Agree Larry. I'm not sure a modern era Yamaha has ever won a championship. The riders were usually the culprits. Honda had the idea of the bike winning but they could hardly be blamed for believing it after the NSR glory days and the start of the 4 stroke era...especially 2003 with the top three positions in the championship taken by Honda. I don't think Honda have been fooled since 2004. Stoner and then Marquez were worth every penny.
In reply to I have a different long-term view by Buddykitchen
Lin Jarvis interview
Funny, we make so many judgements from just a few seconds of vision during a race, or such like.
So it was interesting to hear a decent chat with him:
Lin Jarvis interview
Same for the (in)famous Alberto Puig:
Alberto Puig interview
Both are are quite illuminating. Alberto in particular was interesting, his statement “life is not as you want it, it is what is” (sic) was a classic motto we all need reminding of now and then.
Same for the
BAN RIDE HEIGHT ADJ! New F tire.
Quartararo at the Tues Valencia Test:
"This engine was supposed to be a little bit faster than the one we tested in Misano and Barcelona but it was the same as (the 2022)."
That says enough for me. Meregali confirmed there is no "Plan B" motor, just eeking more from this one.
Not impressed with Jarvis, still. It isn't just him. Blue racing related brass above him too...myopic, underfunctioning, irresponsible, rationalizing with a shrug of the shoulders. Passive.
I've said more than enough about "The Blues." Toprak shouldn't go Yamaha MotoGP, and Quartararo should have gone Ducati. Honda looks more poised for a return to glory.
Praying for a new Michelin front and shapeshifters illegal. Otherwise? More the same. DORNA, do it and rip the band aid off fast...re-find your leadership back bone.
Glad one can find joy and apprecation despite the pains of frustrated disappointment. Still loving GP.
In reply to BAN RIDE HEIGHT ADJ! New F tire. by Motoshrink
I get the impression the
I get the impression the Valencia engine was a mistake. The same engine was tested by Cal previously and had the improvements Fabio and Franco were very happy about previously. Possibly there's a software issue which was handed down for Valencia.
In reply to I get the impression the by WaveyD1974
Could this be a first?
WD1974 makes what could be interpreted as a criticism of Yamaha. A first for Yamaha’s most loyal Motomutterer? I think it might be. With respect, couldn’t resist etc etc.
In reply to Could this be a first? by Cloverleaf
Absolutely yes and no. It
Absolutely yes and no. It makes no sense for an engine to go backwards in such a manner as was suggested by Meregalli. All comments were along the lines of 'wtf?!'. I guess all is possible though. Let's hope that it was a typo finger fumble by an engineer and that the improvements noted by Fabio, Franco and Cal are there for 2023. If the engine returns as should be or as was promised then they can all laugh about it and put the whiskey bottle back in the drawer.
I also champion Honda in my spare time.
In the last 20 years the two factories have won all but 3. Since Agostini took Yamaha to their first in 1975, the two factories have won all but 9. Bleeding edge or not they have a habit of making very good bikes....having the two best riders on the grid helps.
In reply to Could this be a first? by Cloverleaf
https://www.facebook.com/reel
https://www.facebook.com/reel/3972376609654803?fs=e&s=m
In reply to https://www.facebook.com/reel by spongedaddy
^ Thanks, spongedaddy
A helpful reminder to us all. Including WD - who in my opinion owes Nick an apology.
In reply to ^ Thanks, spongedaddy by Cloverleaf
Why so ?
Why so ?
In reply to BAN RIDE HEIGHT ADJ! New F tire. by Motoshrink
Nah
Riders and racetracks make for good racing; tyres and gadgets aren’t the problem. 5 years ago GP media was complaining about how close the races were because everyone was tyre limited and saving their resources for the end of the race. It’s not pure speed they said, it’s artificially close they said.
This year? “PI was the best!”
If Pecco wanted a fight in the 4 races he won b2b mid season he could have had one, he was the fastest and stretched the pack specifically to avoid having a fight. 25pts and a 2 second gap at the flag is the safe bet if you want to win the day and the chip.
When they want to go at each other they can and will, in the mean time we can all wait and type nonsense about tyre pressures and turbulence.
Test Commentators..
..said that front ride height devices will be banned next year so that’s a good start…ha,ha.
Wilco Zeelenberg, who
Wilco Zeelenberg, who obviously has a TON of Yamaha knowledge/experience, just spoke of his first take on their new Aprilia from the Valencia Test.
“From the side actually you think it's quite a big bike, a bit low, but the riders don't feel that. They said actually the height is the same. But especially from the top. The fuel tank is very small. so it feels like a 250. And saying that, also the agility is very easy. If you have a big bike, normally they (feel) very heavy. But with Aprilia the agility, turning the bike from left to right in low speed, at this track is very good and it feels like a 250.”
Huh! A Yamaha geek, calling the Black bike "like a 250"?! And he didn’t even yet mention the lovely V4 motor. Interesting.
Oliveira was fast and comfortable instantly. Just one tire doing a single push for a time, and matched his pace on the KTM. He wasn't at the limit, has more, it was easier to do. They haven't even set up his ergonomics. Good rider and good bike! As you could see at the Test, Raul spent more time circulating tentatively slowly. But even though at the back of the timesheets he liked the front end feel and got fast enough to be acceptable. The story JUST begins. Three very fast riders at Aprilia, and a program full of fresh belief and momentum.
Yamaha? Quite the opposite. Quartararo won 2nd. Yamaha? What place are were they in 2022 on just the bike? And with just TWO bikes now, plus the current rulebook and huge aero plus squat devices, where are things going right now for them? Are their competitors standing still?
Honda is on the move. Look at their fooking stable of riders! The development tone has changed. Marc is back (hugely thankful - that bike nearly cost all of us a Great). HRC head appears out of ass, realizing that it is 5 years later. How aware is Honda of where the European bikes have taken development? Marc and Alex Marquez literally have been sharing one motorhome...
KTM may be on the move. They are TRYING, something is going on. They all speak of it. They have Herve's outfit, Pol Espargaro back, Miller, the new fastest meat from the Moto2 grinder, AND top notch Binder.
This is the gadgety Euro bike era. No one is touching the Ducati performance. And they have a handful of excellent riders out of which two are Astronauting. Could one be yet to Alien in conjunction with this bike and the era's rulebook/tires? Italy's President (insert scary political trend for a different website here) just hosted Red for a celebration honoring them. Bloody Red tide.
The more one looks, the bigger the grimace re Blue.
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P.S. Question, have we all managed to disregard that the Moto2 and Moto3 grids were just reduced significantly? No one is talking about it. Who were eliminated? Where did they go? I know, safety first. I think it is just as much or more about saving money and logistics for DORNA. We may miss the swarm. Big grids are cool, and when sufficiently managed/safe, healthy for the pipeline.
In reply to Wilco Zeelenberg, who by Motoshrink
Moto3 grid has been reduced ?
Moto3 grid has been reduced ? I remember 32 rider max or am I getting mixed up ?
In reply to Wilco Zeelenberg, who by Motoshrink
No
Sorry, I realise your antipathy towards Honda/HRC but “that bike” was good enough to make everyone else look pedestrian, right up until he hurt himself at Jerez in 2020. He’d made a text book (by his standard) miracle save, worked his way back up to an almost unbelievable 3rd. Not content with an amazing recovery, he chose to push for even higher honours.
Miracle saves are one thing, but expecting a miracle on top of a miracle? That was asking for fate to cut your wings and bring you back to Earth.
That was nothing to do with the bike and all on Marc.
Moto3 age limit
They have changed the rules regarding the minimum age for riders. In Moto3 & 2. Not so young as before. After some fatalities.
Still a maximum age in Moto3, which is why John McPhee is out next year. Too old.
In reply to Moto3 age limit by Apical
Ahh yes thanks, I forgot that
Ahh yes thanks, I forgot that. I suppose it might have some implications on the grid size. Looking like 28 riders on the website for next year, I guess that's provisional.
Distance Part 2
I think Ehtikhet & Buddykitchen make good points and observations but with a few caveats. I don't personally know any, but I strongly suspect the best generals are as good at the politics as they are at battle strategy, and this is true in all walks of life. You simply don't get to the top of the pile without knowing how to sweet-talk other execs when you need to, and equally, managing the message is a core skill for anyone at that level. Just look at Herve, everyone loves him, me included, but he does the same, really, just maybe has a bit more 'hail fellow well met' about him.
Second, unless either of you are insiders (always possible on this site) there is still the issue of 'looking in from the outside'. How can any of us possibly tell if he's good, bad or indifferent without knowing what he's been tasked with or talking to his colleagues, other than the obvious. And in relation to that - the obvious - I think winning the title well last year (and it was well won) and coming a very close second this year is pretty damn good; consider, over the last 20 years he has had two stellar champions and now a possible third, all the time on a bike that has generally been at least a little slower that the Honda, Duc etc. I think he also deserves a bit of credit for facing up to Vale when he threw his toys out of the pram, bringing him back in on Yamaha terms, giving Mav the heave ho when he was taking the **** and supporting Frankie, but also all the above during quite difficult times in their careers. Granted he dropped the ball a bit with Jorge, but maybe that was unavoidable. If I was a gazillionaire that wanted to run a MotoGP team, he's be right up their on my poaching list.
Lastly, tough questioning. I like the sentiment, but learned the hard way many years ago that, if you make important people too uncomfortable, you don't just drop off their Christmas card list but that of many others as well. This - Motomatters and all other sites us lot go to - is an entertainment, it actually doesn't matter a jot whether we get the info we'd like, and journo's getting banned isn't going to be very beneficial. Plus these guys need access in order to put food on the table. Me, I'm happy to trust that David, Matt & co go as far as they can and give us more info than we'd otherwise get.
+1 Lilyvani
A team manager has to manage everything. Rider personalities, ranting engineers, corporate board members, rider's family, global transportation logistics, front end feel. Jarvis, like all team managers, should be judged on his success rate, which is usually rider championships won. He's done OK.
In reply to +1 Lilyvani by St. Stephen
Well said.
Well said.
A bit direct and a bit....Not
I am going to have to get some popcorn and read this thread again. I enjoyed all of the contributions so much. Perhaps a little too direct at times but, as usual, I found my opinions challenged and quite changed by the time I got to the end. My 2 bobs worth: I think that there is a distinct whiff of diffidence coming from the Japanese manufacturers at the moment. As Shrink has been saying for a long time now, Ducati are throwing everything at winning and the thing is that it fits with their brand strategy and their premium (ouch) pricing. Does racing improve the prospects of Yamaha and Honda to the same degree? We seem to have got Suzuki's answer. (I am not the only one to have this anxiety - listen to the current and fabulous Front End Chatter podcast for some other opinions on this score.) As for asking more challenging questions of Mr Jarvis, well I thought the way the conversation was handled was appropriate. Our correspondent's job is not to either perform a performance appraisal or some sort of public interest journalism. In any event the main thing I have a problem with Mr Jarvis is that he is rather excessively diplomatic or euphemsitically inclined no matter what the question. I think it's a bit OTT to go hard on the bloke for his run of results. MotoGP is a multi national business with massive interdependencies. And as Remy Gardner can explain (or Zarco or Olivera...) how well KTM took totally honest and accurate feedback. I doubt that anyone in team blue has left any room for anyone in Yamaha engineering to be in any doubt as to the requirements for engine development.
Anyway I would also say that if Mr Emmett starts a blog on the consistency of squirrel droppings (apologies to Gimli) that I would, enthusiastically, subscribe - such is the quality of this journalism and the quality of the Mutterer comments. Thanks All!