By Mike Nicks
"What viewers and riders need to understand is that this job is very much about maximising 21 litres of fuel."
It seems a curious statement from a manager whose rider has been the sensation of winter testing, but then Roger Burnett the strategist and
James Toseland the guy on the Tech 3 Yamaha look at the big picture when they're planning a race season.
"In race trim we're probably at more of a disadvantage than we are in qualifying," Burnett reasons. He's referring to the power of the conventional valve-spring engine that Toseland is using for the early races of the season, and the pneumatic-valve YZR-M1s that
Valentino Rossi and
Jorge Lorenzo are racing in the Fiat Yamaha squad.
"In qualifying trim we are probably 3-4mph slower," Burnett says. "But over the race distance that gap increases compared to guys with an engine that is more efficient.
"The pneumatic engine is more efficient and therefore will maintain its power level over the full race distance. We have to have a reduced level of power to make sure that we finish the race. Qatar is the most demanding race for fuel economy - it's the race where fuel efficiency is a big issue."
So the Brit pair are not blabbing about podium positions or getting on the front row - yet. They're taking a methodical, big-picture approach that explains why the World Superbike champion was able to adapt so rapidly to a nervy 800cc
MotoGP bike compared to the plusher seat of a 1,000cc Superbike.
They pondered deeply before going to Yamaha - about the least fashionable bike in MotoGP at the end of last season.
"We analysed all the bikes and their characteristics," Burnett said. "James had ridden a Ducati [a V-twin], and then won the first time out on a four-cylinder Superbike [the Ten Kate Honda Fireblade]. So it was obvious that he could adapt. We chose a package that he would adapt to the easiest."
