Miguel Oliveira has identified that Yamaha’s main weakness during the Mugello race was not their bike’s straight-line speed but the way it handles corner exits. According to Oliveira, the problem lies in how the bike manages speed and control coming out of corners, which affects overall lap times and performance.
“We’re not losing on the straight,”
Oliveira explained.
“It’s coming out of the corners. Basically, we’re doing everything too slowly. We’re not braking properly, we’re missing a lot of entry speed, we can’t control the corner entry well or carry more speed, and then we can’t manage the tyre on the exit. We can’t do any of that.”
Challenges in Braking, Corner Control, and Tire Management
Oliveira emphasized that Yamaha is pushing its limits in various critical aspects on track. He described being at the edge with braking performance and the front tire’s ability to maintain corner speed. Additionally, the tire wears quickly as much effort is needed not only to accelerate but to keep close to competitors throughout the race.
“We’re on the limit with the brakes, on the limit with the front tyre just to turn and maintain some corner speed. Then we use up a lot of tyre just to accelerate and stay close to the others.”
Straight-Line Speed Is a Factor but Not the Core Problem
While Oliveira admits Yamaha’s bike lacks strong straight-line speed, he insists this element is less significant compared to the difficulties encountered in cornering. He said the time lost on straights during Mugello is relatively minor when contrasted with the larger struggle of gaining and maintaining speed through corners.
“We know it’s not a strong point of our bike, but here, the time you lose on the straight isn’t that much.”
Combined Limitations Restrict Yamaha’s Overall Performance
Oliveira’s assessment points to a combination of factors rather than a single flaw as holding Yamaha back in competitive races. The interaction between braking, corner entry and exit, and tire degradation creates an ongoing challenge that prevents consistent speed and performance, especially at challenging circuits like Mugello.
