Alex Rins: Yamaha turning problems similar to 2017 Suzuki

Alex Rins has revealed that the Yamaha M1’s turning difficulties in MotoGP this season remind him of a similar situation with the 2017 Suzuki GSX-RR.

“It is quite difficult for us to turn,” Rins said. “Sounds familiar, because in 2017 [at Suzuki]…

“Already the second time I jumped on the [Yamaha], I commented on this to the guys and it looks like they are working on this.”

Suzuki took a wrong turn with its engine development for Rins’ rookie 2017 MotoGP season, with team boss Davide Brivio later explaining the revised design had too much inertia in the corners:

“In 2016, one of our weak points was traction coming out of the corner. So we developed a smoother engine with characteristics that were supposed to help the rider in that area [for 2017].

“It seemed to help… But going through the season, we realised that this engine was creating problems in other areas, like cornering.

“Basically, it cancelled out the benefits. This created a problem in some tracks where braking and entering into the corner is very important.”

Given that experience, Rins feels that although the M1's electronics can be improved, the engine is at the heart of the current turning issue.

“The problems we are having right now are coming more from the engine than from the electronics,” Rins said at the Italian Grand Prix.

The good news for Yamaha is that, unlike Suzuki in 2017, they can change engine design during the season as part of their concessions package.

“But to do a different engine in the middle of the season is hard! It is easy to go in the wrong way,” Rins warned.

Until that arrives, Rins and team-mate Fabio Quartararo are trying to “compensate” for the lack of turning by "working on the electronics, bike setting and fairing.”

Yamaha was rumoured to have further engine modifications ready for testing at Mugello on Monday, but their plans were abandoned due to the rain.

The M1 duo will be back on track for a private test at Valencia on June 11-12, in the space created by the postponement of Kazakhstan.

“It was a big shame that we couldn't ride in dry conditions because we had new items to test here,” said Rins. “Luckily, next week we're going to Valencia, and we are going to test the new items there.”

“We had many items to try that in the end we couldn't test here,” added Quartararo. “It's a shame it was wet – the weather didn't help us – but we have another private test next week. Hopefully, we will have great weather in Valencia.”

Honda, also struggling with turning problems and able to modify its engine design due to concessions, is thought to have reduced inertia for the 'different engine configuration' given to the Repsol team in Barcelona. 

While cornering was marginally better, it resulted in even greater traction problems - also replicating the issues experienced by Suzuki in 2016-2017.

Joan Mir switched back to the standard Honda engines for Mugello. However, Luca Marini preferred to keep working with the new configuration, believing it was a first step in the right direction.

Mir has suggested that Honda hopes to have a 'full' new engine ready for July.

The Dutch TT at Assen takes place at the end of this month.