Rossi, Quartararo to Yamaha: “Why wasn’t Lorenzo testing at Misano?”

Valentino Rossi and Fabio Quartararo have questioned Yamaha’s decision not to join the recent MotoGP test at Misano, in particular asking why it is not utilising an asset like triple World Championship winning test rider Jorge Lorenzo more.

Yamaha was a notable absentee from the recent private test, attended otherwise by KTM, Honda, Ducati and Aprilia, who had a chance to sample the new asphalt laid down ahead of this weekend’s San Marino MotoGP event.

Indeed, while testing in-season is restricted, 2020 MotoGP leader Quartararo and Rossi were both surprised not to see Yamaha represented in Misano, because they believe it puts them on the back foot coming into the weekend.

More than that though, while Yamaha’s signing of Lorenzo - who won three MotoGP titles with the manufacturer - was a huge development over the winter, the Spaniard has thus far completed only a handful of laps on the M1 at the top of the year in Sepang.

It’s a situation both riders want an answer to, with Quartararo wondering why Yamaha is not taking better advantage of Lorenzo’s huge knowledge.

“I have the same question as you,” he responded when asked by a journalist why Lorenzo and Yamaha weren’t present in Misano. “Honestly, I don’t know… it is true we don’t understand because in the past we know the capacity of Jorge on the Yamaha, so I don’t know why he is not riding. He did 20 laps in Sepang and that is it.

“When we see all the riders in June and we don’t see the Yamaha here, I won’t say it is a disadvantage but it is good to have some comments of our bike with the new asphalt.”

Rossi was similarly perplexed by the situation, saying he was happy to see Lorenzo returning to Yamaha so he could bring his wealth of experience, adding the team sometimes does things that ‘are difficult to explain’.

“I have exactly the same question for Yamaha, because I was very happy when I understand Jorge is our test rider because he is one of the best riders in the history of the M1. I think he can help us a lot - we see what Pedrosa did with KTM in one year, I think he gives them a lot of good advice.

“Yamaha has to trust in the programme and [but] sincerely I don’t know. Sometimes things happen at Yamaha that is difficult to explain, so you have to speak with them.

“For sure now from tomorrow we will have to start from zero with the new asphalt and understand a lot of teams like KTM and Ducati already did in the last test. It will be harder I think.”