Rossi calls out for carbon swingarm
Valentino Rossi is urging Yamaha to join the MotoGP space age and upgrade the YZR-M1 with a carbon fibre swingarm. Rossi’s glaring weaknesses are with tyre degradation and corner exit speed, highlighted by a humdrum fourth place in the British Grand Prix after squandering a front row start. Ducati have long favoured the use of a carbon swingarm with Honda and KTM more recently adopting the material for more controlled stiffness ratios and weight saving. World champion Marc Marquez has exclusively used a carbon swingarm – and won 15 races – since its introduction by HRC at CoTA in 2018. “I have asked many of times as I think a carbon swingarm can help us so I hope Yamaha can bring one as soon as possible,” Rossi said.
The Italian was left lamenting his inability to challenge for the podium in the heatwave conditions of the highgrip, newly-resurfaced Silverstone. Instead he was swamped by teammate Maverick Viñales who finished third more than 10 seconds ahead of Rossi. Throughout practice the Yamahas, including that of French rookie Fabio Quartararo, had shown strong pace but were all well beaten in the race by Alex Rins on the Suzuki GSX-RR which reveals one flaw in Rossi’s reasoning: the Suzuki uses an aluminium swingarm and is noted for its class-leading tyre life, rear grip and corner speed. After Quartararo’s rookie error at turn one Viñales was Yamaha’s main man and it became clear the YZR-M1 now even concedes top speed to the Suzuki. “There are long straights here so we’re happy with third,” he said.