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Did Yamaha ride in July with illegal, unapproved valves? Are Quartararo, Viñales and Morbidelli now threatening point deductions? Is that why the title’s chances have vanished?
Will the 2020 MotoGP World Championship be decided by the green table next weekend? In any case, an investigation is underway against Yamaha. This could impact the title chances of Fabio Quartararo, Maverick Viñales and Franco Morbidelli.
As is well known, Yamaha complained of three serious engine failures at Rossi, Morbidelli and Viñales at Jerez in July. A delivery of faulty valve springs was therefore presumably identified as the cause of the engine damage. In any case, Yamaha asked MotoGP technical director Danny Aldridge if it was possible to open the seals on the remaining engines and replace the valves “for safety reasons”. This measure required the approval of all other works. Before this was given, Yamaha withdrew the request. The flimsy explanation was that the risk of further engine damage had been defeated by a different setting.
At the time it was assumed that Yamaha had reduced the maximum engine speed for the next Grand Prix. This explains the poor results in Brno and Spielberg.
Miraculously, Yamaha’s successes soon returned. Viñales and Morbidelli won in Misano, Morbidelli a second time in Aragón; Quartararo kept second place in the World Cup. But fresh engines have been in short supply at Yamaha for weeks. Only five 1000cc engines per driver can be used in the 14th Grand Prix.
Only Quartararo has so far not suffered any engine damage. He has driven the same three engines since the beginning of the season. But its first two sealed engines weren’t installed by Jerez.
This means that the three power sources used have far exceeded their service life from 2500 to 3000 km. Because about 500 km are covered for the Grand Prix. Rossi also never left the pits with one of the first two engines. Viñales and Morbidelli, on the other hand, continued to use their first two engines, but only in practice and for qualifying at the Styrian GP.
Now in the Valencia paddock it was rumored behind closed doors that Yamaha had used illegal valves at the first Jerez GP.
In the meantime, there is speculation on what could happen if the suspicions were confirmed and Yamaha actually started the season with non-homologated valves. Any MotoGP manufacturer without “concession points” had to have the “engine specification” homologated at the time of the planned Qatar GP on 8 March. This approval is also valid for 2021.
If Yamaha is found guilty, points will most likely be deducted. That would be the end of title hopes for all three factory riders.
At Jerez-1, Quarzarar (25 points) won ahead of Viñales (20 points), Morbidelli (11 points) finished fifth. A loss of these points would significantly reduce the chances of a title for all three drivers.
Second place in the World Cup, Fabio Quartararo is currently 14 points behind the leader Joan Mir. 75 points are still up for grabs in the three remaining races. Viñales is 19 points behind Mir, Morbidelli is fourth, with 25 points in total.
At Yamaha, a team member confirmed that an investigation is underway. No further statements have been made so far. The Petronas Yamaha team declined to comment on the allegations at all.
MotoGP Teruel-GP results, 25.10.2019
1. Franco Morbidelli, Yamaha, 23 Runden in 41: 47.652 min
2. Alex Rins, Suzuki, +2.205 sec
3. Joan Mir, Suzuki, +5,376
4. Pol Espargaró, KTM, +10.299
5. Johann Zarco, Ducati, +12.915
6. Miguel Oliveira, KTM, +12.953
7. Maverick Viñales, Yamaha, +14.262
8. Fabio Quartararo, Yamaha, +14.720
9. Iker Lecuona, KTM, +17.177
10. Danilo Petrucci, Ducati, +19.519
11. Cal Crutchlow, Honda, +19.708
12. Stefan Bradl, Honda, +20.591
13. Andrea Dovizioso, Ducati, +22.222
14. Tito Rabat, Ducati, +26.496
15. Bradley Smith, Aprilia, +31.816
– Aleix Espargaró, Aprilia
– Alex Marquez, Honda
– Pecco Bagnaia, Ducati
– Takaaki Nakagami, Honda
– Brad Binder, KTM
– Jack Miller, Ducati
Status of the drivers’ championship after 11 out of 14 races:
1. Mir, 137 Punkte. 2. Quartararo 123. 3. Viñales 118. 4. Morbidelli 112. 5. Dovizioso 109. 6. Rins 105. 7. Nakagami 92. 8. Pol Espargaró 90. 9. Miller 82. 10. Oliveira 79. 11. Petrucci 71 12. Binder 67. 13. Alex Márquez 67. 14. Zarco 64. 15. Rossi 58. 16. Bagnaia 42. 17. Lecuona 27. 18. Aleix Espargaró 27. 19. Crutchlow 26. 20. Bradl 12. 21. Smith 12. 22. Rabat 10. 23. Pyrrhus 4.
Constructors’ Championship:
1. Yamaha, 208 Punkte. 2. Ducati 171. 3. Suzuki 163. 4. KTM 143. 5. Honda 117. 6. Aprilia 36.
Team-WM:
1. Team Suzuki Ecstar, 242 Punkte. 2. Petronas Yamaha SRT 235. 3. Ducati Team 180. 4. Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP 176. 5. Red Bull KTM Factory Racing 157. 6. Pramac Racing 128. 7. LCR Honda 118. 8. Red Bull KTM Tech3, 106 9. Repsol Honda Team 79. 10. Esponsorama Racing 74. 11. Aprilia Racing Team Gresini 39.
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