Jarvis calls for 'respect', MotoGP working on 'issues'

"Unfortunately at the end a few issues arouse that exposed maybe some of the things we need to work on as a championship"- Lin Jarvis, Yamaha.
Jarvis calls for 'respect', MotoGP working on 'issues'

Lin Jarvis, managing director of Yamaha Motor Racing, oversaw one of the most successful seasons in the factory's MotoGP history last year.

First and second in the world championship for team-mates Jorge Lorenzo and Valentino Rossi, plus a perfect sweep of the riders', teams' and constructors' titles during Yamaha's 60th anniversary celebrations.

But, as everyone knows, it wasn't the fairytale such figures suggest.

Instead the championship descended into acrimony and accusations, with title leader Rossi believing Honda's outgoing champion Marc Marquez was out to help Lorenzo.

While Lorenzo was not a direct participant in that dispute - Rossi and Lorenzo rarely crossed swords on track last season - the Spaniard was heavily critical of what he saw as a lenient punishment given to Rossi for the incident with Marquez at the penultimate Sepang round.

When Marquez didn't pass Lorenzo during the Valencia finale, a race which saw the #99 snatch the title from last-on-the-grid Rossi by five points, the Italian labelled the race as "embarrassing" and "unfair", claiming Marquez "wanted to finish his work and protect Lorenzo also in the last race".

Marquez strongly denies Rossi's claims, saying he was controlling front tyre temperatures in Australia (where he overtook Lorenzo for victory) was battling with Rossi as usual in Sepang and wasn't close enough to attack on the final lap in Valencia.

But where does that leave Yamaha and its riders heading into 2016?

"It's a 'dream team'. I think that's the right description. We've had five triple crowns, four of those with these two riders together," Jarvis said of the Lorenzo-Rossi partnership.

"We obviously realise that whist as a team we are trying to win the triple crown they are both, as individuals, trying to win the same prize. This is something we can never forget.

"Basically what we ask from the riders is respect. So we want to go ahead and race with respect for each other, respect for our competitors, respect for the team, and also respect for the fans and spectators.

"This is the key thing and if you keep respect for each other you can manage. Because you understand that you are all trying to achieve the same results, or trying to beat each other, but the important point is to do that with good values and mutual respect."

Jarvis added that there will be no changes to the team structure this season, ruling out a return of the wall separating seven time champion Rossi and triple champion Lorenzo in the pits, or any restriction on data sharing.

"Frankly we will go into next season the same as this season," he said. "There is no reason to put a wall in the garage. One of our strengths is the fact that the team work really well together.

"So we realise that the riders are individually competitors for each other, but the mechanics, crew chiefs and engineers all work really well together. So if we put a barrier or a wall in the garage it will be to the deficit to the team, both riders and engineers.

"This is something of the past and is not useful any more. We understand that both riders are competing against each other, but as Jorge said, if Valentino is his main competitor for the championship it's a good sign. It means that Yamaha is at the front and at the end of the day that is our main mission, to beat our competitors."

Rossi and Lorenzo exchanged a fleeting handshake during Monday's Movistar Yamaha team launch and insisted there would be no problem working together, although when asked about respect between riders Rossi replied it must go both ways.

Meanwhile, Jarvis also confirmed that 'new solutions' are being sought by the MotoGP organisers, teams and manufacturers to avoid a repeat of last year's furore.

"Basically what we'd like to see [at Yamaha] are the same results at the end of the year, with a different story. I think the season was magnificent for the majority of last year. Unfortunately at the end a few issues arouse that exposed maybe some of the things we need to work on as a championship and a sport," Jarvis said.

"But we are in this sport as much as Dorna, the FIM and the riders. It is our sport and so we have to work together to find new solutions. Whilst it's not our decision to make any changes we are certainly talking to Dorna, talking to the FIM, discussing together and we await to see the changes that will come.

"But I'm completely confident that everybody has experienced last year and we all know the things we need to work on and I'm sure we will work on that and have another great season for everyone to enjoy."

Whilst no-one wants a repeat of MotoGP's end-of-season implosion, in order to find solutions the cause needs to be clearly identified. Unfortunately, Jarvis wasn't willing to elaborate on the discussions.

"I can't really explain details. I didn't really say I knew what we have to change. We have some suggestions for things that could be improved, could be better," he said. "I think at the moment it's important these discussions are going on. It's not only with Yamaha and the FIM and Dorna. Also other manufacturers are engaged.

"There are many people, many teams and manufacturers involved. Everybody is sharing their input together. But I think until the FIM and Dorna come with their new proposals I don't think it's appropriate to really discuss such details."

So should the forthcoming changes focus on the behaviour of the riders? The teams? The manufacturers? The media? The fans? How about the role of social media? Alterations to the MotoGP sporting rules? Race Direction? The Penalty Points system? The process for penalty appeals?

Everyone has their own, often strong, opinions but in reality 2015 was something of a 'perfect storm', involving many of those factors and more.

All should become clearer once the FIM and Dorna proposals are made public, since the suggestions themselves will point towards what they conclude went wrong.

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