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Monster Energy Yamaha

Ujian rasmi MotoGP di Litar Antarabangsa Sepang (SIC) telah pun menutup tirai pada Ahad dengan rata-rata pasukan berpuas hati dengan prestasi semasa jentera masing-masing. 

Sesi yang berlangsung sejak Jumaat itu menyaksikan para pelumba menggunakan peluang yang ada untuk menguji jentera dan beberapa pelumba turut mempamerkan kejutan. 

Pada hari terakhir pada Ahad, pelumba Mooney VR46 Ducati, Luca Marini merekodkan catatan masa terpantas bagi sepanjang tiga hari dengan 1 minit 57.889 saat diikuti Francesco Bagnaia (Ducati) (+0.080s) dan Maverick Vinales (Aprilia) (+0.147s). 

Keputusan pada Ahad juga pastinya menggembirakan kem Ducati apabila tujuh jentera – termasuk GP23 dan GP22 – menghuni kelompok 10 terbaik sementara baki tiga lagi diisi dua jentera Aprilia RS-GP dan sebuah lagi Honda RC213V yang ditunggang Marc Marquez.

Namun, aspek yang paling ketara kesemua jentera yang mengisi kelompok 10 terbaik mengguna pakai enjin dengan konfigurasi V4. Sementara pasukan Monster Energy Yamaha, satu-satunya pasukan yang masih memberi kepercayaan pada enjin 4-inline, sekadar ke-19 terpantas menerusi Fabio Quartararo diikuti Franco Morbidelli di kedudukan ke-20. 

Meskipun jentera Yamaha M1 itu merekodkan kelajuan maksima yang lebih baik kali ini bermula di Sepang Shakedown menerusi pelumba uji Cal Crutchlow namun catatan masa sewaktu Ujian Rasmi ternyata membimbangkan. 

Hari kedua ujian merupakan satu-satunya catatan masa baik yang berjaya dilakar Quartararo apabila muncul pelumba ke-4 terpantas di samping merekodkan ‘top speed’ 335.4km/j. 

Namun, aksi tidak konsisten pada hari pertama dan ketiga tidak dapat menyembunyikan senario bahawa terdapat jurang besar antara jentera Yamaha M1 dengan jentera Ducati, Aprilia dan Honda. 

Sebaik hari ketiga berakhir, Quartararo mengakui perasaannya bercampur aduk ketika ini. 

“Saya gembira dengan ‘top speed’ dan kelajuan tetapi tayar baharu ini satu malapetaka. Kami tidak pasti kenapa kami mempunyai jarang besar (dari segi catatan masa) dengan pelumba lain. 

“Jadi kami perlu menetapkan jentera semula di Portimao. 

“Kami akan lihat jika sesuatu berjaya dilakukan,” ujar juara dunia musim 2020 itu. 

Sekiranya Yamaha gagal mencari solusi dalam mengurangkan jurang antara jentera mereka dengan pengeluar lain, pastinya Quartararo bakal berdepan cabaran lebih sukar musim ini berbanding tahun lalu. 

Ini kerana jentera berusia setahun seperti Ducati GP22 yang ditunggang Luca Marini dan Marco Bezzecchi bagi pasukan VR46 masih mampu melakar masa yang jauh lebih baik. 

Tidak lupa juga, Yamaha perlu menghadapi saingan sengit dari Aprilia yang kini menurunkan empat pelumba hasil penyertaan pasukan satelit RNF Racing. 

Sebagai satu-satunya pasukan dengan enjin 4-inline dan tanpa sokongan pasukan satelit – setelah RNF Racing kendalian Datuk Razlan Razali berpindah ke Aprilia – Yamaha mungkin berdepan masalah besar musim ini.

Namun, pasukan dibawah penyeliaan Lin Jarvis itu masih mempunyai peluang di Portimao, Portugal bagi memcari penyelesaian yang dinamik.

Monster Energy Yamaha has officially unveiled its latest livery ahead of the 2023 MotoGP season. 

The official unveiling ceremony was done in Indonesia during Yamaha S3 Dealer Meeting. 

Joining the glitzy event were Yamaha MotoGP team boss Lin Jarvis, Yamaha President Yoshihiro Hidaka, Yamaha MotoGP team director Massimo Meregalli and two lead rider, Fabio Quartararo and Franco Morbidelli. 

While the Yamaha M1 still features Yamaha’s iconic blue, the fairing and nose cone of the 2023 race bike now features a distinctive dazzle-camo paint scheme. 

According to Yamaha the 2023 livery is designed by legendary helmet designer, Aldo Drudi. 

“I always felt our previous bike was the most beautiful and clean in the racing world, but now you will notice it’s a little bit more aggressive. 

“A little bit younger. You can see some camouflage feel and this is not by accident. The [livery] has been designed by one of the top designers in our world, Aldo Drudi in Italy, and the idea is to be aggressive.

“We are going to battle! We are going to war! We are going to challenge!,” said Jarvis. 

Also, the same design will be applied to every official Monster Yamaha team as confirmed by Jarvis. 

“You will also see later this week a similar [livery] design in Supercross and Motocross. So this is a Monster Yamaha new look and feel,” he added. 

Meanwhile, Quartararo will not only begin the new season with a new livery, the Frenchman will also donned the all-new HJC RPHA 1 race helmet.

Fabio Quartararo telah menandatangani kontrak dua tahun bersama Monster Energy Yamaha yang menyaksikan pertahan juara dunia itu kekal sehingga 2024.

Perkembangan terbaru itu sekaligus menamatkan segala spekulasi mengenai masa depan pelumba Perancis itu bersama Yamaha.

Quartararo mempamerkan aksi mantap dan cemerlang sejak berhijrah dari pasukan satelit Petronas Yamaha SRT apabila berjaya muncul juara dunia dalam musim pertamanya bersama pasukan factory Yamaha, tahun lalu.

Dia juga kini dalam landasan tepat untuk mempertahankan kejuaraan apabila mendahului carta dengan kelebihan 8 mata.

“Saya sangat gembira untuk mengumumkan bahawa saya akan kekal bersama Yamaha untuk tempoh dua tahun lagi.

“Seperti sebelum ini perpindahan ke Yamaha merupakan satu keputusan yang tepat. Mereka mempercayai saya dari awal dan itu adalah sesuatu yang saya tidak boleh ambil mudah.

“Namun, perjanjian terbaru ini adalah satu keputusan besar kerana saya berada pada saat getir dalam karier saya jadi saya mengambil sedikit masa sebelum membuat keputusan.

“Saya percaya dengan projek Yamaha di MotoGP dan saya rasa Yamaha cukup komited. Kini saya dah mengesahkan keputusan untuk terus bersama-sama dalam perjalanan ini, kami boleh memberi fokus sepenuhnya pada musim ini.

“Saya mahu berterima kasih kepada semua yang menyokong termasuk peminat. Saya sangat hargai sokongan yang diterima,” jelas Quartararo.

Quartararo akan kembali beraksi hujung minggu ini di GP Catalunya dengan mensasarkan kemenangan bagi memastikan kedudukannya selaku pendahulu kejuaraan tidak tergugat.

Minggu lalu, Quartararo melintasi garisan penamat di Mugelli di belakang pelumba tuan rumah rumah dan juara, Francesco Bagnaia.

Fabio Quartararo has penned a two-year deal with Monster Energy Yamaha for another two years, thus ending all the speculation regarding his future with the team.

  • Quartararo decided to remained with Monster Energy Yamaha after agreeing a two-year deal with the Iwata outfit.

  • The new agreement will saw the Frenchman remain with Yamaha through the end of 2024.

Quartararo has shown consistency and great skills ever since his moved from Petronas Sepang Racing Team (SRT) and claimed his maiden MotoGP world title in his very first season with the factory team.

The 23-year-old is also on the right track to retain his world title as he currently leads the 2022 season with 8 points advantage.

“I am really happy to announce to all of you that I will stay with Yamaha for two more years. In the past, moving up to MotoGP with Yamaha and later to the Factory team were no-brainers. Yamaha believed in me from the very beginning, and that is something I do not take lightly. But that being said, this new agreement was a big decision. I’m at a great point in my career, so I took a bit more time taking this decision to be sure.

“I believe in the Yamaha MotoGP project, and I feel Yamaha are truly motivated. And now that we have officially confirmed our decision to continue on this path together, we can fully focus on the current season. I want to say ’Thanks!‘ to the people around me, who always help me and support me, as well as to the fans who are cheering me on. I really do appreciate all the support.” he said.

Meanwhile, Monster Energy Yamaha Team Principal, Lin Jarvis shared his joy over the commitment shown by Quartararo this season.

“We are very happy to have reached an agreement with Fabio to continue with the Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP team for 2023 and beyond. We brought Fabio into the Factory team last year knowing he is a special talent, but he even exceeded our expectations. One doesn‘t often come across a rider of his calibre. He was already showing his talent and speed in his two years with the SRT satellite team in 2019 and 2020, but when he made the step up to the Factory team, we could really see him growing stronger and maturing as a rider.

“In Fabio‘s first season and a half we‘ve booked many successes: 6 race wins, 14 podiums, 6 pole positions, and the 2021 MotoGP World Title. These results have come from a strong team effort from the rider, his crew, our engineers, and all team staff working together with a positive ‘can-do’ spirit. With Fabio we know he will always put in 100% of his best effort, and we have assured him that Yamaha will do the same and we will invest in future developments so that together we can challenge for the MotoGP World Championship Titles for years to come

Perasaan kecewa jelas terpampang di muka pertahan juara dunia MotoGP, Fabio Quartararo apabila sekadar menamatkan pusingan pembukaan musim 2022 di tempat kesembilan.

Selain gagal menempatkan diri di podium, pelumba Perancis itu juga gagal memberi saingan dengan kelompok depan dan tiba ke garisan penamat dengan jarak +10.543 saat berbanding pemenang, Enea Bastianini.

Keputusan kurang memberangsangkan itu juga membuatkan Quartararo berasa risau akan peluang jentera Yamaha musim ini sebaik tamat perlumbaan.

“Tahun lepas kami menang kedua-dua perlumbaan tapi kali ini kami berada jauh di belakang jadi sudah tentu saya risau.

“Saya boleh katakan yang saya tidak rasa yakin. Saya sekadar bermula di barisan keempat dan terpaksa memasuki Q1 di Qatar.

“Tetapi seperti yang saya katakan sebelum ini, saya bukan seorang jurutera,” jelasnya.

Sementara itu, Quartararo mendedahkan masalah utama berpunca daripada cengkaman tayar depan yang melanda seawal dua lap pertama.

“Saya bermula baik tetapi selepas dua lap sahaja, tekanan tayar depan naik mendadak.

“Sejujurnya saya tidak tahu apa yang berlaku,” tambah Quartararo.

Selain Quartararo, rakan sepasukan, Franco Morbidelli juga gagal menyerlah, terpaksa berpuas hati dengan kedudukan ke-11.

Sementara itu, pasukan satelit Yamaha, RNF Racing juga terpaksa berpuas hati dengan tempat ke-14 menerusi Andrea Dovizioso manakala Darryn Binder sekadar P16.

Saingan pertama di Qatar menyaksikan pelumba Gresini Racing, Bastianini merekodkan kemenangan sulung di kelas premier sementara wakil KTM, Brad Binder serta pelumba Honda, Pol Espargaro melengkapkan podium ditempat kedua dan ketiga.

Saingan MotoGP akan kembali bersambung 20 Mac ini di Litar Mandalika, bagi GP Indonesia.

2021 MotoGP champion Fabio Quartararo hopes that Yamaha will keep the best for Sepang test as the team pushes for more top speed and aerodynamics.

Despite taking the 2021 crown, the Frenchman slowly began to feel the pressure from Ducati’s Francesco Bagnaia.

The Italian recorded five-pole and four wins towards the end of the season and even had the chance to topple Quartararo dominance before crashing out at Misano.

Yamaha major engine updates are currently in the pipeline, and while other competitors have started testing their new machine at Jerez, Quartararo’s new bike will only arrive at next year’s Sepang test.

“Well, we tried a similar bike to Misano [test]. To be honest, it was the bike as Misano.

“For me, we are looking for a little bit – not corner speed – but a little bit more turning in the slow corners.

“More work needs to be done to feel an improvement, but as you can imagine, the bike is the first step, and we hope for much better in Sepang,” said Quartararo, who set the ninth-fastest time in Day 1 at Jerez.

Fabio Quartararo marks his way into the factory Yamaha seat with a strong display in 2019 with Petronas Yamaha Sepang Racing Team.

Yamaha signed the Frenchman at the start of the 2021 season as a replacement for the veteran Valentino Rossi who had spent 15 years with the factory team, winning four of his seven premier class titles.

Despite coming in as a less experienced rider to teammate Maverick Vinales, Quartararo quickly carved his name as the no.1 rider for the Iwata outfit.

The 22-year-old rider currently in the best form of his career, securing 156 points thanks to winning four races in Doha, Portugal, Italy and the Netherlands.

Nonetheless, Quartararo admits there wasn’t any added pressure despite replacing Rossi’s spot on the M1.

“Yes, I think for me about the pressure, I think it becomes something normal.

“I think I had pressure all my life, and right now, I feel it’s something normal. So, let’s say I’m used to it.

“For sure, there will arrive a moment where it’s much more if you are fighting in one race for the championship, but, at the moment, I feel the pressure is the same and normal.

“And the responsibility is huge. Taking the place of Valentino, everyone was waiting for me to make great results and everything,” said Quartararo during an exclusive interview with Motorsport.com.

Quartararo will be back in action in August at the Red Bull Ring.

(source: Motorsport.com)

Monster Energy Yamaha telah pun disahkan kehilangan khidmat Maverick Vinales hujung musim ini dengan kedua-dua pihak bersetuju menamatkan kontrak lebih awal.

Vinales yang masih berbaki kontrak sehingga hujung 2022 akan meninggalkan pasukan factory itu hujung musim ini dengan Aprilia dicanang sebagai destinasi seterusnya.

*Maverick Vinales

Keputusan itu menyaksikan Yamaha mempunyai satu slot kosong selain dari Fabio Quartararo bagi musim 2022.

Bagaimanapun, dalam perkembangan terbaru, timbul dakwaan bahawa Yamaha telah mencapai persetujuan bersama pasukan satelit, Petronas Sepang Racing Team (SRT) untuk memindahkan Franco Morbidelli ke pasukan factory.

Seandainya dakwaan tersebut berasas bermakna SRT bakal ketiadaan pelumba menuju musim 2022 sementara Morbidelli akan kembali digandingkan bersama bekas rakan sepasukan, Fabio Quartararo dan bakal mendapat jentera M1 factory yang diidamkan.

Senario ini juga bererti SRT bakal ketiadaan dua pelumba menuju musim 2022.

Ini kerana, seorang lagi pelumba, Valentino Rossi juga dikhabarkan tidak akan bersama SRT musim depan bagi memfokuskan saingan bersama Aramco Racing Team VR46 yang akan membuat penampilan sulung di kelas premier bersama Ducati.

*Franco Morbidelli

Sekiranya Morbidelli berhijrah ke factory Yamaha, situasi ini pastinya memberi impak besar terhadap prinsipal SRT, Datuk Razlan Razali, yang kini perlu mencari dua muka baharu bagi mengisi kekosongan tersebut.

Sebelum ini, pengurus pasukan SRT, Johan Stigefelt, menyuarakan minat terhadap pelumba Moto2, Raul Fernandez sebelum pelumba KTM Ajo itu dikhabarkan akan menyertai Remy Gardner di KTM Tech3.

*Garret Gerloff

Ketika aksi di GP Belanda, SRT mempertaruhkan pelumba GRT Yamaha WorldSBK, Garret Gerloff menggantikan Morbidelli yang mengalami kecederaan.

SRT turut dikhabarkan menawarkan peluang itu kepada Toprak Razgatlıoğlu sebelum pelumba itu menolak tawaran tersebut bagi memberi fokus pada WorldSBK bersama Pata Yamaha.

*Fabio Quartararo

Morbidelli ketika ini sedang menjalani rawatan pemulihan apabila disahkan akan diketepikan lebih lapan minggu selepas menjalani pembedahan di lutut kiri ekoran kecederaan sewaktu latihan.

Monster Energy Yamaha announced Maverick Vinales would leave the team at the end of the 2021 MotoGP season.

Vinales and Yamaha have mutually agreed to put an early end to the two-year deal following the rider request.

Vinales spend five seasons with the factory Yamaha since joining in 2017 and has accumulated eight victories so far.

“This partnership has been very significant to me over the last five years, and it proved a difficult decision to part ways.

“In these seasons together, we experienced both great achievements and tough times.

“However, the underlying feeling is of mutual respect and appreciation.

“I am fully committed and will strive to achieve the best results for the rest of the season,” said Vinales.

The relationship between Vinales and Yamaha turn sour ever since the team decided to replace his crew chief, Esteban Garcia, with Valentino Rossi’s former aid, Silvano Galbusera.

Last week, he admitted that he is frustrated at the lack of respect and answers from Yamaha involving his factory M1 machine.

In other news, the 26-year old rider is expected to join Aleix Espargaro at Aprilia for the 2022 season despite denying the link earlier.

(source: MotoGP)

Kurang 24 jam setelah membantu Monster Energy Yamaha melengkapkan kemenangan satu-dua di Assen, Maverick Vinales membuat keputusan untuk berpisah dengan pasukan itu hujung musim ini.

Perkara itu diumumkan pihak Yamaha sendiri yang mendedahkan kedua-dua pihak telah bersetuju untuk menamatkan kontrak Vinales yang masih lagi berbaki setahun.

Vinales telah merekodkan lapan kemenangan sejak menyertai Monster Energy Yamaha pada 2017 dan tidak pernah gagal menamatkan setiap musim dalam kelompok enam teratas.

Hubungan Vinales bersama Yamaha mulai suram apabila pelumba Sepanyol itu tidak berpuas hati dengan tindakan pasukannya menggantikan ketua kru, Esteban Garcia dengan bekas ketua kru Valentino Rossi, Silvano Galbusera.

Dia kemudian meluahkan rasa tidak puas hati apabila tidak mendapat kerjasama yang diharapkan dari pihak Yamaha ekoran jentera YZR-M1 miliknya masih berdepan masalah sama berbanding rakan sepasukan, Fabio Quartararo.

“Kerjasama ini cukup penting buat sama dalam tempoh lima tahun ini. Keputusan untuk meninggalkan Yamaha bukan mudah.Kami telah mencapai pelbagai kejayaan bersama.

“Sebagai penghormatan terhadap tindakan Yamaha yang menghormati keputusan ini, saya tekad untuk berikan yang terbaik sehingga penghujung musim ini,” jelas Vinales.

Meskipun berjaya menaiki podium di Assen, Vinales akui dia tidak mencapai potensi yang sebenar setakat ini bersama Yamaha.

Dalam perkembangan sama, berita ini membuka peluang kepada Aprilia untuk memancing pelumba berusia 26 tahun itu untuk digandingkan bersama Aleix Espargaro musim depan.

More than 11,000 spectators witness Fabio Quartararo recorded his fourth win of the season at the Dutch GP.

Despite the win took Quartararo championship points to 156 and comfortably leading the race heading into the mid-season break, his teammate, Maverick Vinales, was at the centre of attention.

Vinales comes second at Assen, followed by Suzuki’s Joan Mir, but the Spaniard looks less than happy with the result, and it was more noticeable on the podium.

“It’s an option (about leaving Yamaha). I’m thinking about it since the beginning of the season because I’m not able to show my full potential.

“I can’t tell you more,” he said after the race.

The 26-year old was left frustrated with Yamaha decision to replace his crew chief, Esteban Garcia, with Valentino Rossi former crew chief, Silvano Galbusera.

He later admitted the lack of respect and answers from Yamaha after suffering the same rear grip issues with the YZR-M1 a couple of weeks ago.

In the most recent news, Vinales is linked with a move to Aprilia for the 2022 season despite having a year left on his contract with the Japanese manufacturer.

While this might be another rumour from the paddock, it does not change the fact that Vinales is clearly frustrated and will utilize the summer break to announce a decision (if there is any).

(source: Motorsport)

Current MotoGP championship leader Fabio Quartararo has been hit with a total of 6-second penalty at the GP Catalunya.

The race saw Miguel Oliveira took his first win of the season after a fierce battle against Quartararo before Johann Zarco overtook his fellow Frenchman to finished second.

Quartararo had to settle for third place before Race Direction slapped a 3-second penalty due to a ‘shortcut at Turn 1-2’, thus seeing him losing his place to Ducati’s Jack Miller.

However, after further investigation, Quartararo was hit with another 3-second penalty, this time for finishing the last 3-laps with an open racing suit while also caught throwing away his chest protectors.

The initial penalty dropped the factory Yamaha ride to 4th place while the new penalty demotes the Frenchman to 6th in classification.

The situation now reduces his title lead from 17 to 14 points ahead of Zarco.

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