Yamaha asked the technical managers of the FMI for the tool with which the maximum size of the fairings is measured so that they can be approved. This is clear proof of the difficulties they are having in being able to fit the width of the piece, which cannot exceed certain measures by regulation.
According to the rule, manufacturers must homologate a fairing before the start of the season, they must do so before taking to the track on Friday for the first grand prix of the year. During the rest of the season they are entitled to an update which, once approved, can be exchanged for the first fairing for the whole year.
The width of this fairing, which includes the front flaps, is determined by a metal tool, in which the motorcycle is to be placed. This must not touch the walls of the instrument itself, as can be seen in the image.
Baggage of MotoGP homologations
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Photo by: German Garcia
Baggage of MotoGP homologations
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Photo by: German Garcia
In 2019 Suzuki had arrived at the first grand prix of the season and when it was time to homologate the fairing, the bike hadn’t entered the tool, so all the aerodynamic work had remained exposed. In the end they had had to cut the hull the old-fashioned way, with a saw and a file, to arrive at the allowed size.
“At the moment, our two concerns are the time attack and the choice of fairing,” confessed Massimo Meregalli, Yamaha sporting director, to Motorsport.com this Friday. “We have two fairings and we have to choose which one we prefer,” he added. But now it has been learned that they will have to fix them because the original design is too large.
After the first day of testing, Yamaha’s concerns multiplied, not only on a sporting level, because Fabio Quartararo also complained about the measurements of the fairing. Clear proof of the concern is that Yamaha asked the FIM technical department for the tool with which fairings are measured to fix the piece. This request is not frequent, given that it is usually the teams that take the bikes to a box set up for this task. This thing is usually done in the days before the first grand prix, which will be in two weeks on this same track. Yamaha has until then to adjust the measurements of the 2023 M1, and this Sunday it will take the exact measures so that this problem no longer occurs.
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