Petronas Sepang Racing Team (SRT) announced Garrett Gerloff as a replacement for the injured Franco Morbidelli at Assen this weekend.
The GRT Yamaha WorldSBK rider will step in for Morbidelli, who suffered a knee injury in training on Tuesday.
Gerloff took part in MotoGP free practice session at last year’s European GP in Valencia, standing in for Valentino Rossi, who was waiting for his PCR test result.
The American will jump onboard the YZR-M1 in exchange for his production R1 starting with FP1 on Friday.
However, it was understood that the offer went to Toprak Razgatlıoğlu before the Pata Yamaha with Brixx WorldSBK rider turned down the opportunity in favour of remaining focused to challenge the WorldSBK crown.
“Tahun depan, berkemungkinan besar saya akan mendapat jentera ‘factory’,” demikian pendedahan dibuat Franco Morbidelli selepas merekodkan tempat kedua dalam sesi kelayakan di GP Sepanyol meskipun menunggang jentera 2019.
Tahun lalu, Morbidelli telah pun menandatangani kontrak eksklusif dua tahun bersama Petronas Sepang Racing Team (PSRT) dan merupakan pelumba YZR-M1 tunggal yang tidak mengikat kontrak secara langsung bersama Yamaha.
Bagaimanapun, tiada pengesahan sama ada situasi tersebut menyumbang kepada Morbidelli tidak mendapat jentera ‘factory’ musim ini dengan pengarah urusan Yamaha, Lin Jarvis, mendakwa kekangan kewangan sebagai punca.
Kemudian, PSRT masih belum menandatangani kontrak lanjutan bersama Yamaha untuk meneruskan kerjasama bagi musim 2022 dengan terdapat ura-ura bahawa kolaborasi itu akan berpindah ke ARAMCO Racing Team VR46.
Sekiranya Yamaha memilih VR46 sebagai pasukan satelit musim depan, senario itu mungkin membolehkan Morbidelli berhijrah dan mendapat layanan ‘factory’ yang diidamkannya.
Morbidelli sebelum itu akui mendapat layanan tidak adil apabila muncul pelumba tunggal Yamaha yang beraksi musim ini dengan jentera YZR-M1 2019 berbanding Fabio Quartararo, Maverick Vinales dan rakan sepasukan Valentino Rossi yang menerima jentera ‘factory-spec’ terkini.
Pelumba utama Petronas Yamaha Sepang Racing Team (PSRT), Frano Morbidelli, mengakui adalah tidak adil baginya mengharungi musim 2021 dengan jentera lama.
Morbidelli muncul pelumba terbaik Yamaha tahun lalu apabila menamatkan saingan MotoGP 2020 di tempat kedua, hanya dipisahkan 13 mata di belakang juara, Joan Mir.
Bagaimanapun, memasuki tahun baru, dia muncul pelumba tunggal Yamaha yang masih kempunan jentera ‘factory-spec’.
Tanpa sebarang pilihan, Morbidelli terpaksa meneruskan kepercayaan terhadap jentera ‘A-spec’ YZR-M1 2019 sedia ada.
Walaupun Pengarah Urusan Yamaha Motor Racing, Lin Jarvis, menjelaskan kekangan kewangan dan pandemik Covid-19 antara punca Morbidelli tidak diberikan jentera ‘factory-spec’, pelumba berusia 26 tahun itu akur ketidakadilan telah berlaku.
“Ketidakadilan memang berlaku dalam sukan. Kami terikat dengan kontrak yang telah disediakan lebih awal.
“Walaupun ini adalah hakikat, tetapi saya terpaksa juga meneruskan (perlumbaan) dengan apa yang diberikan,” jelas Morbidelli.
Morbidelli, yang memasuki tahun ketiga bersama PSRT, berjaya menempah barisan pertama musim ini di GP Sepanyol apabila merekodkan masa kedua terpantas, di belakang Fabio Quartararo.
“Saya gembira kerana dapat berada dalam barisan depan. Saya sudah menunggang jentera (2019) ini untuk tempoh lama, tetapi dari aspek teknikal, perkara ini bukanlah satu kelebihan.
“Sebaliknya, saya sudah memahami jentera ini dari segala segi,” tambahnya.
2020 MotoGP title runner-up, Franco Morbidelli, shared his take on the upcoming 2021 season opener in Losail Circuit, Qatar, which he thinks will be a battle between Yamaha, Ducati and Suzuki.
“We were able to improve our pace, even though the track was a little bit slower [on day 2 of 3] and felt more comfortable on the bike. So we improved what we needed, but looking at the other guys, everyone is improving.
“The Ducati looks strong; Suzuki looks very strong as well. The other Yamahas, also Vale, so the other three Yamahas were very fast. At the moment, it looks like it’s a Yamaha-Ducati-Suzuki battle,” he explained.
The Italian also thinks that Jack Miller will be a top contender in Losail.
“I didn’t follow Jack or see him on track. What I saw [from the timesheets] is that he’s really fast, has a really good pace and is really fast in a straight line,” said Morbidelli, who narrowly beat Miller for victory in Valencia then lost out to the then Pramac rider for second place at the Portimao finale.
“Moreover, Jack was fast last year and ended the season with a great rhythm, so for sure, he’s one of the top contenders for these next two races and this world championship,” he added.
Last season, Morbidelli secured a win at Valencia by narrowly beat Miller before losing out to the Australian for second place at Portimao.
Nonetheless, Miller already singled out Morbidelli as the Yamaha rider to look out for in 2021 despite remaining on an A-Spec YZR-M1.
Demikian kenyataan dibuat prinsipal pasukan Petronas Sepang Racing Team (SRT), Datuk Razlan Razali dalam temu bual bersama media tempatan, hari ini.
Menurut Razlan meskipun pasukan itu tidak melabelkan siapa pelumba utama dan kedua dalam pasukan namun dia meletakkan Morbidelli sebagai tunjang utama dalam merebut kejuaraan MotoGP musim 2021.
“Secara peribadi, saya berasakan Franky (Morbidelli) adalah pelumba nombor satu berdasarkan pencapaian dia musim lalu.
“Kami cuba untuk tidak meletakkan sebaran label terhadap kedua-dua pelumba malah musim lalu juga kami tidak praktiskan siapa nombor satu walaupun jangkaan lebih tinggi diletakkan pada (Fabio) Quartararo.
“Bagi saya, kami memberikan layanan yang sama tetapi kami akan memberi fokus lebih pada Franky.
“Tetapi tak dilupakan yang kita bercakap tentang Valentino, dia boleh membuat kejutan. Dia cuma kurang bernasib baik musim lalu. Saya yakin dia akan kembali lebih kuat dan beraksi dengan penuh kompetitif dalam pusingan pertama,” jelas Razlan.
Rossi bakal beraksi di bawah payung Petronas SRT selepas lapan tahun bersama pasukan factory Yamaha sebelum ini.
Pelumba berusia 42 tahun itu menggantikan Quartararo yang berhijrah ke pasukan factory bagi bergandingan dengan Maverick Vinales.
Musim lalu, Rossi sekadar mengutip 66 mata selepas 14 pusingan dengan hanya satu podium (GP Andalucia) di samping lima kali gagal menamatkan perlumbaan.
Dalam perkembangan sama, Razlan turut merasmkikan pasukan Petronas SRT bagi menghadapi musim baharu secara strim langsung, hari ini.
Pelancaran itu turut memperlihatkan julung kalinya jentera YZR-M1 2021 milik Rossi dan Morbidelli.
Rossi akan teruskan musim 2021 dengan jentera ‘Factory-spec’ manakala Morbidelli bersama jentera ‘A-spec+’.
Petronas Yamaha Sepang Racing Team (SRT) enters their third successful season in MotoGP with Franco Morbidelli and Valentino via virtual team presentation today.
Petronas SRT recorded stellar performance in 2020. Morbidelli finished the season as vice-champions in the premier class after accumulating 158 points, while Fabio Quartararo, who moved to the Yamaha factory team this season, finished 8th last year with 127 points.
The two secured six wins last season and helped the team clinched Top Independent Team and Top Independent Rider.
For 2021, Morbidelli will join his mentor and 8-time world champion, Valentino Rossi, to continue the team effort to battle out the world championship title.
Rossi will carry the “Factory-spec” Yamaha YZR-M1 while Morbidelli will continue with his reliable “A-spec+” machine that has proved fruitful last season compared to the ever-established factory bike.
Meanwhile, Razlan Razali expressed his desire to keep pushing for the upcoming season.
“We are proud to represent Malaysia and PETRONAS on the world stage in MotoGP for a third season as PETRONAS Yamaha Sepang Racing Team.
“We are looking forward to the season ahead, eager to give Franco and Valentino the best opportunity. For Franco, it’s a fabulous opportunity to achieve even better things than his stellar season in 2020. For Valentino, we’re hoping the new team will give him the best opportunities to harness his talent and expertise.
“2020 was an incredible year for us, but we are mindful that there are always areas where we can improve. We expect another tough fight on track over the season ahead and we will be pushing at every step to support Franco and Valentino and ensure they have all the tools at their disposal,” he said.
Franco Morbidelli terus kempunan apabila bakal memulakan musim 2021 tanpa jentera Yamaha YZF-M1 Factory meskipun menamatkan musim 2020 di tempat kedua belakang juara dunia, Joan Mir.
Perkara itu didedahkan prinsipal Petronas Sepang Racing Team (SRT) , Datuk Razlan Razali menerusi wawancara bersama GPone, baru-baru ini.
Morbidelli beraksi dengan jentera M1 ‘Spec-A’ 2019 musim lalu namun berjaya menampilkan aksi cemerlang berbanding rakan sepasukan, Fabio Quartararo yang sering mengalami masalah teknikal dengan jentera M1 Factory.
“Ketika Frankie (Morbidelli) memenangi perlumbaan di Misano, dia berjumpa dengan saya dan bertanya sama ada boleh atau tidak dia menggunakan jentera ‘factory’ musim depan.
“Namun saya memberitahu bahawa kami telah cuba yang terbaik namun susulan kekangan kewangan perkara itu tidak dapat direalisasikan,” jelas Razlan.
Morbidelli sebaliknya merekodkan tiga kemenangan dengan jentera 2019 itu sementara Quartararo dan Maverick Vinales (Monster Energy Yamaha) bergelut.
“Selepas dia menang lagi di Valencia, saya bertanyakan soalan sama ada dia mahukan jentera M1 Factory musim depan (2021)?
“Dia jawab tidak sebaliknya gembira dengan jentera sedia ada itu. Faktor psikologi main peranan kerana namanya ‘factory’ tetapi masih lagi jentera yang sama,” tambah Razlan.
Razlan sekali lagi membuat permintaan sewaktu mesyuarat terakhir bersama Yamaha namun selepas mengambil kira pelbagai faktor dan kewanangan, permintaan itu tidak dapat ditunaikan.
Bagaimanapun, Razlan mendedahkan jentera yang ditunggangi Morbidelli akan mendapat beberapa kemas kini bagi musim 2021.
“Kami telah diberi jaminan jentera Morbidelli akan ditambah baik. Ini tahun ketiga Frankie bersama kami, jadi penting untuk dia berasa selesa dan gembira. Dia mengejutkan kami musim lalu terutamanya di separuh kedua musim 2020 apabila lebih konsisten berbanding Fabio (Quartararo).
“Kami jangka dia mampu mencabar kejuaraan musim ini,” kata Razlan lagi.
Beraksi dengan mesin ‘lama’ dilihat bukan satu isu buat Morbidelli tatkala jentera itu tidak mengalami sebarang isu teknikal dibandingkan dengan pelumba Yamaha lain apatah lagi pembangunan enjin baharu dibekukan sehingga hujung musim 2021. – GPOne
The Gran Premio de Teruel MotoGP round in Aragon, Spain yesterday witnessed Franco Morbidelli (Petronas Yamaha SRT) taking home his second ever premier class victory and with stunning fashion. The style that he did so reminded us of the great Jorge Lorenzo where Morbidelli took the holeshot and left everyone in the dust. (more…)
If you miss seeing Jorge Lorenzo performing his textbook win on the Yamaha M1 by taking the holeshot and leaving everyone in the dust, then yesterday’s race was one of those except that it was done by Petronas Yamaha SRT’s Franco Morbidelli. (more…)
If you’ve missed yesterday’s MotoGP round in the Czech Republic, it was one hell of a race as Brad Binder (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing) delivers KTM’s first-ever win in MotoGP. In his rookie season (and only his third race), Binder also set the record for the first South African rider to win a premier class race. (more…)
The upcoming MotoGP 2020 round takes place this weekend at Automotodrom Brno for the Czech GP and Petronas Yamaha SRT plans to not only conquer but also extend their lead in the championship as well as team standings thanks to their two riders, Fabio Quartararo and Franco Morbidelli.
With a perfect start to the season so far for Fabio Quartararo, the young Frenchman heads to Czech Republic high in confidence with two victories under his belt (as well as two pole positions). His Yamaha YZR-M1 will definitely be the one to beat, but rest assured that Franco Morbidelli will be there to fight for the win after suffering an engine failure in the last race.
The month of August will probably be the most crucial point of the 2020 MotoGP championship as riders and teams will compete in three back-to-back rounds at Automotodrom Brno and Red Bull Ring – Spielberg. Defending champion, Marc Marquez, will be sitting out this weekend and possibly two more races after going through a second operation on his broken arm.
According to Fabio Quartararo, “Brno is a track that I really like. We know from last year that we can be fast there and that we have the performance, even if it is not the best place for our bike. There are a lot of great corners that make up the circuit but the last corner is one of the best. You have to go in with a lot of corner speed but also prepare to take the perfect line for the straight. It’s great to be going there after taking two wins and we’re looking at fighting for the podium this weekend.”
As for Franco Morbidelli, “My expectations for Brno are high, especially as it’s a circuit that I really like. In fact, I think it’s one of the best on the calendar! It’s a very old-style track as it’s long, wide, technical and fast. Looking at the level that we had in Jerez, we are expecting good things this weekend. I’ve also had some good results there in the past. Of course, this year we’ve got to be better and improve our record there. I think we will have some good battles and I’m looking forward to going there, with the aim of finishing in the top-five.”
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