Current 2010 MotoGP champion Jorge Lorenzo has apparently asked for improvement to the Yamaha M1 engine, or things will be very difficult for the team next year.
According to Valentino Rossi’s crew chief, Jeremy Burgess, departing with Rossi for Ducati, the M1 won’t be competitive next year without some significant changes.
According to what Lorenzo has said to Yamaha, the biggest update that needs to be made to the M1 is the acceleration, followed by rear tyre grip.
Burgess says overall horsepower and acceleration needs to be improved in what will mark the last season of 800cc bikes for MotoGP, before they move to 1000cc from 2012.
In light of that, it will be interesting to see what Jorge Lorenzo and Yamaha can come up with in the coming year.
Despite impressive performances from Lorenzo all year, Honda and Ducati were often hot on the heels of the Yamaha rider.
With the departure of Valentino Rossi it will also be interesting to see whether the Yamaha team will be hurt by a lack of development expertise from its riders.
Then there’s also Ben Spies to be reckoned with, so we’re expecting an interesting 2011 with the hope that the status quo might be shaken up a little.