Yoda helps Yamaha use the force!

No factory has worked harder during this year's inaugural four-stroke-based MotoGP World Championship than Yamaha. Following a challenging run of preseason tests, the factory's race department has used all its renowned expertise to develop the mighty YZR-M1 into a race-winning 'force'.

Project leader Ichiro Yoda and his dedicated crew of engineers have worked tirelessly to produce a steady flow of upgraded engine, chassis and electronics parts for the Marlboro Yamaha Team at pretty much every round of the series.

And there are more new engine parts due at Motegi to improve the M1's speed around this stop-and-go circuit.

"We plan to have some new engine internals for Motegi," revealed Yoda. "These parts should give us a little more acceleration, which is very important at Motegi because it's a stop-and-go track, all braking and acceleration. Our bike is already not so bad on braking stability, so we hope that improving acceleration will give us some advantage.

"We also plan to equip Carlos with another new chassis, so he'll have both his bikes equipped with the same chassis, the first of which he received at Brno. He prefers this unit, while Max wants to continue with one of each, one new and one previous-spec chassis, because he finds that each has its good points for his style, depending on the track."

Yoda, who commutes from Europe to Japan and back again between every Continental round of the series, is used to hard toil and working under the spotlight, and he doesn't treat Japanese races any differently from other rounds of the MotoGP World Championship.

"This is a home race for me but I don't feel any more pressure competing in Japan," he added. "Maybe some of my bosses will come to Motegi but they will allow me to get on with my job, maybe they'll come and say 'Hello' and 'Good luck' on race morning, but that's all. The good thing is that I don't have to take a plane to this race, just catch a train!"

Yoda can be optimistic about Motegi. His M1 scored a front-row start and podium finish at April's season-opening Japanese GP and the bike is much improved since then.

"We do have much bigger hopes than the last time we raced in Japan," affirms Marlboro Yamaha Team director Davide Brivio. "We're in a much better position now, over the past few races we've always been up front, taking three pole positions in a row and finishing inside the top two every race. And Max is now second overall, so we'll be working very hard to keep him there. We will also be working very hard to give Carlos his first MotoGP win and it would be fantastic to do that at Motegi, in front of so many Yamaha personnel. Carlos deserves to be higher than fifth in the championship, so we want to help him move up.

"Motegi also starts a busy run of three races. Things happen very fast over the next few weeks, so it's vital that we maintain our focus. We don't really get a single day-off during this period, it's tough for everyone in the team, but we're ready and we're very motivated. Logistics are particularly crucial at the moment, so we've worked out a clever plan for engine maintenance, with some engines rebuilt at the factory in Iwata and others at our team base in Milan."