Finally yr’s British Grand Prix, Ducati stunned the paddock with the introduction of what was branded its ‘Stegosaurus’ rear wing, which comprised of a number of vertical strakes protruding from the again of the seat unit.
The concept of putting a spoiler in that location of the bike was launched earlier within the yr by Aprilia, who examined a wing paying homage to a automotive, however shelved that concept as the remainder of the grid adopted Ducati’s lead via the ultimate races of 2022 and the Valencia post-season check.
Yamaha tried the rear wings in Valencia final November, however have been shortly discarded by 2021 world champion Fabio Quartararo, with the Japanese marque the one producer to not have any rear aero bundle on its bike in final month’s Sepang check.
Nevertheless, for the check this weekend in Portugal, Yamaha has introduced two new aero updates to attempt: a ‘Stegosaurus’ design and a brand new F1-style idea.
“We have now two designs prepared to check, however in the mean time we’ve not had the prospect and we’ll see if throughout these two days of testing at Portimao we will do it,” Massimo Meregalli advised Autosport on Friday in Portugal.
With the F1-style wing, Yamaha is trying to obtain one thing totally different than Ducati’s innovation provide, which is to make the bike flip a bit extra moderately than enhance braking stability.
“We have now two elements right here to check, however we solely have two days of testing, so I do not know if we will have time. That wing isn’t a part of the bundle to be homologated, so we will go away it for later,” concedes Meregalli, earlier than acknowledging that the brand new half “is basically totally different to what has been seen up to now” from Yamaha.
Cal Crutchlow, Yamaha Manufacturing facility Racing
Picture by: Gold and Goose / Motorsport Images
For Yamaha proper now the tail of the M1 isn’t its most important concern with reference to aero, as it’s but to finalise the entrance idea it should race with – the primary design of which should be homologated previous to the primary spherical of the season.
“Throughout these two days we have now to make an vital determination with the fairing. After the Sepang check our riders determined to postpone the choice till Portimao,” added Meregalli.
“They’ve labored quite a bit within the manufacturing unit this winter, by no means in all my years at Yamaha have I seen something like this, an enormous quantity of elements to check. We had a number of fairings, with a special central half, and we should decide earlier than the top of the check to have the ability to homologate it.”
Along with the aerodynamic half, Yamaha is anxious in regards to the M1’s single-lap efficiency, which Quartararo called “a nightmare” at Sepang last month.
“In Sepang, the tempo was good, however not so within the time assault, so we should work in that space, each Fabio and Frankie [Franco Morbidelli] should be capable to experience, do some long term,” Meregalli famous.
“In Sepang there have been so many issues to check that we could not do greater than three laps in a row and Fabio would not like that, he prefers to not contact the bike an excessive amount of throughout a race weekend.”
