The impressive performance of Fabio Quartararo at the France Grand Prix has highlighted the surprising improvements of the Yamaha Yzr-M1, a project that has fought to emerge in the last two years. The official Yamaha driver has conquered a breathtaking pole position in Le Mans, marking an epochal turning point for the team.
In the Sprint Race, Quartararo closed in fourth place, and then took the command in a chaotic race, before being betrayed by the condition of wet with an accident. However, the progress of the Yamaha motorcycle have not gone unnoticed, attracting the attention of all the MotoGP paddock.
A new engine and technical innovationsBehind the scenes, Yamaha is developing a V4 engine, but at Le Mans he presented a new engine with four -cylinder in -line, tested in Jerez and mounted on all four motorcycles. “Usually, this combination makes the bike more difficult to drive, but all drivers are enthusiastic. No negative aspect,” has revealed an internal source. “The engine keeps that typical Yamaha sweetness, and works perfectly.”
Max Bartolini, prominent technician, explained that the team worked intensely to improve the mechanical grip through the engine. In addition, the aerodynamic package has been revolutionized: “Externally it seems similar to 2024, but every detail has been optimized.” However, the width of the in -line engine puts some limitations, pushing the team to explore solutions to increase the dementation in a constant evolution.
Frame and suspensions: a return to the originsYamaha has introduced several changes to the frame, now incredibly thin, with a maximum thickness of 10 mm, even in critical areas such as the pitchfork pivot, where it usually strengthens to avoid twisting in acceleration. “They want this flexibility to allow the motorcycle to bend to the maximum turn of the fold, when the suspensions are less effective,” explained an expert. In addition, the team has returned to use aluminum for the swingarm, abandoning carbon versions after numerous tests: “The old style works, offers sensitivity and performance.”
A curious detail? The elimination of the rear hugger. This allows the wheel to rise higher when activating the lowering device, optimizing aerodynamics. In his place, Yamaha has introduced an innovative system of five infrared sensors to monitor the temperature of the surface of the rear tire.
Braking: the challenge to be wonDespite the progress, the braking with the Michelin rear tire remains a weak point. “Yamaha is working to solve this problem, but we are not yet there,” Bartolini admitted. Each modification changes improvements in an area, but often introduces new challenges into another, in an incessant development process.
The unique style of QuartararoThe talent of Quartoraro is amplified by some personalized changes. “He has a pod on the tank,” he noticed the observer Michael Laverty. “This helps him to keep his butt more backward during the braking, loading the rear tire.” Its posture, with a long torso and a flat back, naturally facilitates the transfer of weight, improving the braking capacity.
A giant step, but the road is longYamaha has taken an extraordinary step forward in terms of competitiveness, but the summit is still far away. With a mix of technical innovations, a more powerful engine and the ability of Quartoraro, the Iwata team is rewriting its history in MotoGP, ready to surprise again.