MotoGP, Yamaha press Valentino Rossi: Lin Jarvis calls the VR46 team
The 2022 MotoGP championship ends in Valencia. Lin Jarvis hopes for a « miracle » and continues to court Valentino Rossi’s team.
By Luigi Ciamburo of Corsedimoto
Fabio Quartararo and Yamaha will attempt the final blow of the MotoGP championship, although in Valencia it will be difficult to close the gap of 23 points that separates him from the leader Pecco Bagnaia. The tricolor champion wanted his family close to him, his father Etienne and his mother Martine, even his brother Anthony. There is also his friend Paco Rico, his wife Aran and little Lucia, the child to whom Fabio is the godfather. And the inseparable Thomas, as well as his paddock mates Tony Arbolino and Jake Dixon. For Pecco Bagnaia in particular there will be Valentino Rossiwhose aura still hovers in the environment of the tuning forks.
In the Yamaha box, the chief engineer Diego Gubellini and the general manager Lin Jarvis hold the reins of hope. The start of the Valencia GP was good, but we are waiting for qualifying on Saturday. » It is absolutely necessary to start from the first line “, predicted the British coach to ‘La Gazzetta dello Sport’. » If we don’t make mistakes, if Fabio is super motivated, we can do it « . But realistically, it’s also time to take stock for the Iwata team, which considers it a success to have arrived in Cheste still fighting for the MotoGP World Championship.
Until the championship reaches the Sachsenring Fabio Quartararo had a completely different face, then in nine races he lost 114 points. A kind of expected collapse, because Bagnaia and Ducati were absent subscribers in the first part of the season with a series of almost surreal abandonments. A scenario » beyond expectations », admits Lin Jarvis. We must pay tribute to Pecco who, since Assen, has collected five victories, three podiums and a single retirement in the last lap of the Motegi GP. » His recovery has been impressive… He made a few mistakes and Ducati still wasn’t in place with the factory bikes at the start of the World Championship. Then they found the path, worked hard and it was a game changer. But the world championship is not over yet « .
Lin Jarvis: Yamaha never made a revolution »
Yamaha can’t have hope for other brand drivers. Andrea Dovizioso gave up after Misano, Darryn Binder is just a rookie from Moto3. Franco Morbidelli never came fourth with the M1 factory, while Cal Crutchlow returned as a « third rider » proving that this bike certainly has greater potential than that shown by the brand’s various colleagues. For months, the engineers’ attention has been mainly focused on the engine of the 2023 MotoGP prototype. the Valencia test. That doesn’t mean that Quartararo will have the fastest bike on the grid next year, because you always have to deal with your opponents.
Lin Jarvishowever, remembers Yamaha’s ancient philosophy: they never made a revolution « . Also, next year we will only see two M1s on track, for the first time there will be no satellite team available. On this front too, work is being done behind the scenes to free up the team Valentino Rossi of Ducati from the start of the 2024 MotoGP season: “ that would be the logical evolution « , but if Ducati remains the predominant prototype it will be difficult to convince the team led by Alessio Salucci. Among other things, he is linked to constructor Borgo Panigale with a three-year contract expiring at the end of 2024. It’s up to us to prove that the bike will be competitive » ended Jarvis.
