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Andrea Locatelli ended his the two test days at the Phillip Island circuit in sixth position and knowing that he has become Yamaha's reference for development as they approach the start of the World Championship after Rea's accident, which clearly upset the Japanese manufacturer's plans. A bit like what happened in the MotoGP with Aprilia and Jorge Martin.
"Honestly, I'm more in trouble than in 2024," the rider from Lombardy confessed right after the accident. "I don't feel comfortable, maybe because we haven't been able to ride much during the winter. This is the main problem for me. The track is also different. It was just resurfaced. Last year, the grip level was higher so, in terms of lap times, we lost something even in points, where we were particularly competitive. We also shouldn't overlook the fact that Pirelli brought totally different tires. So, overall, the feeling is different. I'll still try to do my best and always with a positive spirit."
Yamaha claims that it's currently committed to improving the bike in every respect. Have you actually noticed progress?
"It's hard to say because, with the new tires, the overall performance has changed, but what we've tried so far has worked. I think we can get a more realistic idea after a few races, since we raced in different conditions. Only then will we be able to tell if we're better or worse off than we were in 2024. We're definitely missing something, but we're working and learning as always, so I hope we can make some progress for the weekend. Again, we have to consider both the new Pirellis and the track conditions, which change quickly here. Generally speaking, we're still lacking in speed, but we're at a good point. As a result, I'm convinced that we'll be able to optimize everything this weekend, like we did last year."
Do you have a ranking of the constuctors in mind for the Australian round?
"No, and it's not something I think about because anything can happen on race weekends, especially here, where there's going to be a flag-to-flag, and the pit stop could be a variable. That said, who's in front as usual is obvious, the rest is an unknown."
Rea has already left the scene, and the other Yamaha riders aren't proving to be competitive. How do you feel doing all the work alone?
"It's unfortunate that Johnny won't be able to be there since, in previous tests, he showed that he was in better shape than last season. Obviously, together, we could've improved the bike faster, but he won't be there, and I'll have to try to do it on my own, work on myself, and get the best out of what we have at our disposal. Regarding the other brand riders, I don't have the tools to express myself. If I was feeling at one hundred percent twelve months ago, now I'm at eighty percent, but maybe it's because, during the break, we didn't ride much and, in Jerez and Portimão, we encountered unusual conditions. I probably need to accumulate kilometers and be in the group. Instead, on the overall performance, it's hard to give an opinion, because the Pirellis are different from last year, and the circuit has changed. Now the grip is at ninety percent, so we need to work to find the right balance on both the front and rear."
Yamaha confirmed that there won't be an engine evolution for the occasion, as was hoped, and that this may come in March. What support are you asking from the manufacturer?
"Nothing and everything. It's important for me to improve on what we have. When the new package will arrive or what itìs going to include,I don't know, so I can't comment on that. I just hope it'll arrive as soon as possible and allow us to further progress."
