MotoGP rider Jack Miller said Yamaha's redesigned V4-powered M1 lacks straightline speed and leaves him vulnerable on long straights, though he remains optimistic about the marque's V4 development project.
Yamaha's shift to the all-new V4 engine has reduced power and eroded some traditional strengths, with Yamaha factory rider Fabio Quartararo saying the bike now lacks "a single strong point" and all four M1s ran near the back at the US Grand Prix.
Speed-trap data at Austin underlined the deficit: factory rider Alex Rins hit 342.4 km/h, almost 6 km/h slower than Ducati's Marc Marquez, and Pramac rookie Toprak Razgatlioglu led Yamaha riders in 15th.
Miller said the three-week break before the Spanish Grand Prix on April 24-26 and a post-race test at Jerez are crucial opportunities for Yamaha to introduce upgrades and close the gap.
This summary is based on coverage by Motorsport.
Read the full article at Motorsport.
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