David från Motomatters om utvecklingen av M1:an de senaste åren:
But the Yamaha is not the bike which Rossi left behind. Since his departure, Yamaha have chased an ever more nimble machine, looking to exploit Jorge Lorenzo's great strength: the ability to go through corners several kilometers an hour faster than any other man on the planet. Lorenzo's sweeping 250-style lines have brought him two world titles and a bevvy of wins, but it has also led Yamaha down an increasingly narrow performance envelope. As the bike has been made to work better and better for Lorenzo - braking early, then letting off the brakes early and carrying as much lean angle and speed as possible to fire out of the corner and onto the next straight without losing momentum - it has worked less and less well for other riders. Lorenzo's ability is unquestionable, but similar to Casey Stoner's time at Ducati, Lorenzo could be leading Yamaha down a blind alley, where one single rider becomes the crucial component to success. Once that rider is gone - through injury, retirement, or tempted away for whatever reason - that could leave Yamaha with a bike that is basically unrideable for anyone with a more conventional style.
But the Yamaha is not the bike which Rossi left behind. Since his departure, Yamaha have chased an ever more nimble machine, looking to exploit Jorge Lorenzo's great strength: the ability to go through corners several kilometers an hour faster than any other man on the planet. Lorenzo's sweeping 250-style lines have brought him two world titles and a bevvy of wins, but it has also led Yamaha down an increasingly narrow performance envelope. As the bike has been made to work better and better for Lorenzo - braking early, then letting off the brakes early and carrying as much lean angle and speed as possible to fire out of the corner and onto the next straight without losing momentum - it has worked less and less well for other riders. Lorenzo's ability is unquestionable, but similar to Casey Stoner's time at Ducati, Lorenzo could be leading Yamaha down a blind alley, where one single rider becomes the crucial component to success. Once that rider is gone - through injury, retirement, or tempted away for whatever reason - that could leave Yamaha with a bike that is basically unrideable for anyone with a more conventional style.
