Motorcycle specifications YamahaYZR-M1 2019 The next attack

The Yamaha YZR-M1 was unveiled on February 4, 2019, in Jakarta (Indonesia).

Still entrusted to Valentino Rossi and Maverick Vinalès, will this M1 be the return to grace for the Japanese manufacturer?

At any rate, that's the declared ambition of the entire factory, which has spared no effort this winter in trying to solve its grip and electronics problems. These major problems will have taken a toll on the official team's achievements over the last two years, and even led the engineers to make a public apology (a first!) on the sidelines of the Austrian GP.

The figures speak for themselves: already in decline in 2017 (4 wins and 13 Top 3s), the Yam' drank the broth last year with ten podiums and a single win acquired at Phillip Island after long months of waiting.

So what's new for 2019?

As usual with the brand with the tuning forks, the new prototype looks very much like its predecessor, with its balanced lines, ribbed fuel tank and short exhaust nicely integrated into the aluminum swingarm. Visually, the big change is marketing. The title sponsor of previous seasons, Movistar, has been replaced by the fluorescent Monster energy drink brand. This change of partnership is logically accompanied by the adoption of the black/green code of the super-caloric Californian monster. The result is an aggressive blue/black (especially black) paint scheme that gives the impression of a merger between the official Yamaha and its (now-defunct) satellite sibling, the Tech3 team (which moved to KTM this year).

But if the plumage hasn't changed much, it's on the side of the ramage that most of the work has been done. And if we are to believe Kouichi Tsuji, President of Yamaha Motor Racing, it's been a hard winter for the engineers, who have mainly been working on the chassis and electronics. The engine, still based on the same Cross Plane design (crankshaft crankpins positioned at 90° to one another, as opposed to the traditional 180°, asynchronous ignition sequence), should distribute power differently to improve driveability without prematurely destroying the tires.

More than 240 hp are therefore expected. As for the rest, as you'd expect, manufacturers don't divulge much in the way of details. So we know the minimum on this 2019 M1, which is also closely linked to the regulations: single Magneti Marelli electronic box, single IMU inertial unit (new in the 2019 regulations), 6-speed seamless extractable gearbox with anti-dribble clutch, Brembo brakes with 320 or 340mm front disc (in carbon or steel), two four-piston calipers, full Ohlins suspension, 17-inch magnesium wheels with Michelin tires and dry weight of 157 Kg, which corresponds to the minimum accepted in the Championship.

In terms of aerodynamic support, the M1 remains sober and, for the time being, retains the little whiskers that seem to suit it best.

To force the renewal, Yamaha has also made various changes to the organizational and technical staff, with replacements for chief mechanic and engineers. " We needed to bring in a breath of fresh air," explains Kouichi Tsuji, "which is why we decided to change the General Manager Motorsports Development and the Group Leader in Japan. We didn't necessarily have good results last season. We couldn't continue in the same direction."

New bike, new staff. But what's new for the riders?
*A new decade for Valentino Rossi, who has just blown out his 40th candle, and who retains intact motivation for the quest for a 10th title.
*A new number for Maverick Vinales, who swaps his 25 for the 12 he used when he was younger.

All that remains for the two team-mates to do now is to translate all this goodwill into results on the track. The pre-season tests, which were rather successful for both men, seem to prove that the brand is heading in the right direction.

It's now or never.