Yamaha on the pace in WSB test
Yamaha proved they have the potential to pose a real threat in 2020 after an impressive all-round testing performance in Jerez.
By the time the test concluded three Yamaha riders finished inside the top four and were the closest challengers to world champion Jonathan Rea, beating both Ducatis and BMWs. Although the Spanish track is a strong one for Yamaha, their pace still gives fans reason to be optimistic going into the winter break. Leading the Yamaha charge was newcomer Toprak Razgatlioglu who set the second quickest lap-time of the entire test. The young Turk rider gave Rea a real scare on Day One when he was only 0.019 slower than the five-time champion. Eyebrows were raised when Razgatlioglu left Kawasaki, but based on this performance he seems to have already adapted to the Yamaha.
Loris Baz then sprung an even bigger surprise on Day Two by being second fastest and third overall. His Ten Kate Racing Yamaha team have worked hard since their return to the grid and their prospects are looking good ahead of their first full season. While Michael Van der Mark confirmed Yamaha are the real deal by completing the R1 train in fourth. “Normally in testing you have both positives and negatives but these two days were overwhelmingly positive,” the Dutchman said. “We completed a lot of laps, trying different things on the bike, and we managed to find a solution to the spinning issues we had during the second half of the season.”
Both factory riders completed over 300 laps over the two days and while the leading Yamaha trio were all working on the 2019 bike, Niccola Canepa debuted the 2020 R1. The endurance and test rider finished inside the top 10 on both days.
Yamaha trio on the pace ‘Their three riders all finished in the top four’