Yamaha seemed to be the one that played with its cards best covered compared to the competition during the three days of the MotoGP Shakedown in Sepang, but on the final day the Iwata manufacturer also gave a preview of what the M1's shapes could look like in the 2024 season. Test driver Cal Crutchlow, in fact, took the new aerodynamic package to the track.
Which it was confirmed to GPOne.com colleagues by team manager Massimo Meregalli, who explained that the primary objective of the Malaysian Shakedown was precisely to decide on the new parts, among which one cannot fail to notice a double-profile front wing that is very reminiscent of the one used by Aprilia in recent seasons. But also a reshaped tail section compared to the past, on which a slightly different rear wing also appeared compared to the one that was used on several occasions last year, especially due to the position in which it connects to the tail section.
Cal Crutchlow, Yamaha Factory Racing
Photo by: Gold and Goose / Motorsport Images
“We did the last outing with the new aerodynamics. In theory, it should be the deliberate package. The plan was to do it in the afternoon, but then the weather seemed to promise rain, so we took advantage of the last hour before the break to try it out. There is an Aprilia-type double wing and also a new tail: the lowering has a longer stroke than in the past, so we had to redesign everything a bit”, explained Meregalli to GPOne.com.
Under the fairings there is already the engine with which Yamaha will start the 2024 season. This specification seems to represent a step forward and this is important, because Fabio Quartararo's requests in the last two years were focused above all on the search for more power. It is clear, however, that the full concessions, which will allow the Japanese to introduce updates during the season, could be a great help on this front.
“It's one of the few times we've seen an engine step. We improved the speed without compromising anything else. The Qatar engine will be the one we're using here, but thanks to concessions we've already set two steps during the season. But it was important to start from Sepang with the resolution of the aerodynamic package, because at the moment they are all prototyping pieces, but then making them in carbon takes time. So it is essential to decide everything to be ready for the first race.”
Cal Crutchlow, Yamaha Factory Racing
Photo by: Gold and Goose / Motorsport Images
The concessions allowed Yamaha to also take advantage of its regular riders, Quartararo and newcomer Alex Rins, on two of the three days of the Shakedown. Which was especially helpful to the Spaniard, who is still recovering his best physical condition after last year's injury, but which in general allowed him to evaluate all the new features more calmly.
“It's certainly an advantage for Alex, because in the Valencia test he wasn't yet at 100% from a physical point of view. Now he could even be at 90%, so these two additional days will certainly be more useful to him than to Fabio. The material that we have brought a lot anyway, so having these two extra days will allow us to work better, analyzing the data without haste, as perhaps we were not able to do last year. Let's say that for now we have managed to almost complete the program of the first two days”, concluded Meregalli.
Cal Crutchlow, Yamaha Factory Racing
Photo by: Gold and Goose / Motorsport Images
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