No new Yamaha engine available for Rossi, Vinales

Valentino Rossi has revealed the factory Yamaha squad has delayed its new engine specification after not testing it at Misano last weekend ahead of the British MotoGP.

The Movistar Yamaha squad were in action last weekend at the circuit which hosts next month's San Marino round but both Rossi and team-mate Maverick Vinales remained tight-lipped on what the team tested in its bid to turnaround a frustrating campaign.

No new Yamaha engine available for Rossi, Vinales

Valentino Rossi has revealed the factory Yamaha squad has delayed its new engine specification after not testing it at Misano last weekend ahead of the British MotoGP.

The Movistar Yamaha squad were in action last weekend at the circuit which hosts next month's San Marino round but both Rossi and team-mate Maverick Vinales remained tight-lipped on what the team tested in its bid to turnaround a frustrating campaign.

Despite still sitting in second place in the MotoGP riders’ championship, Rossi and Yamaha remain winless since Assen last year with its bike issues being labelled a ‘crisis’ last time out in Austria with Yamaha MotoGP Group Leader & M1 Project Leader Kouji Tsuya publicly apologising to both riders after qualifying.

Rossi had been hopeful for vital updates at the Misano test but an expected engine upgrade failed to materialise from Yamaha.

“No, still no, at the beginning it was in the programme but it was not ready,” Rossi said. “I didn’t test the new engine.”

“Not anything interesting, but I was enjoying being on the bike,” Vinales added for his reflection on the test. “I could give my best every lap and that's very interesting and important to recover the feeling. We were constant, which is something we lost, so that was positive.

“I tried different set-ups so let's see if it's working here at Silverstone.”

Since the British MotoGP’s return to Silverstone in 2010 the Northamptonshire circuit has been a strong track for Yamaha with the Japanese manufacturer taking victory in four of the opening six years, with Rossi last triumphing in the wet 2015 race.

Both Rossi and Vinales reached the podium last year behind race winner Ducati’s Andrea Dovizioso.

“On paper we can be a bit stronger here. Silverstone is a great track full of history and in the last few years there have been good races. It is a great pleasure to arrive here at Silverstone when you are good with the bike,” Rossi said.

“We are hopeful for it to be dry as much as possible and so we will try to be stronger than at the last two races.”

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