Pata Yamaha trials new engine and chassis parts

The factory Yamaha World Superbike squad has run fresh engine and chassis parts at Lausitzring test as it looks to attack the final stint of the year.

19 Aug 2016

The factory Yamaha World Superbike squad has run fresh engine and chassis parts at the two-day private Lausitzring test as it looks to attack the final stint of the year back in full force.

Pata Yamaha returned to action as a full accompaniment for the first time since May with Sylvain Guintoli making his maiden comeback since breaking his ankle at Imola. While becoming familiar with the Lausitzring circuit both Guintoli and team-mate Alex Lowes, fresh from his Suzuka 8 Hour triumph, completed full testing programmes notching up over 130 laps each.

Lowes got to grips with new engine and chassis hardware from Yamaha's R&D base in Germany, running a full race simulation for data and feedback to be analysed. While feeling his way back to form, Guintoli worked on geometry settings to familiarise the developments made by the team with the new R1 during his spell out injured.

"The test at Lausitzring has been good and we've had a productive couple of days here," Lowes said. "My feeling with the YZF-R1 has continued to improve and we've developed the package and learnt some new additions, which is positive.

"The track is interesting and it's always nice to try new venues. The layout is challenging with lots of changes of direction and quite bumpy so compared to other tracks a slightly different set up is necessary.

"Overall I'm happy with the progress and am looking forward to the final day of testing at Magny-Cours before the season starts again back here in mid-September."

Guintoli has remarked on how different the Yamaha feels in full race trim since his last outing in May. Pata Yamaha will be eager these changes can provide key gains after a difficult return to World Superbikes for the Japanese manufacturer with the team failing to crack the podium so far this season.

"The YZF-R1 has changed since I was last racing on it, chassis-wise the set-up is also different so the past two days have allowed me to develop a better understanding of the dynamics in place at the moment," Guintoli said. "We have worked on a few tweaks in performance but the main task has been understanding how the bike behaves now and getting back up to speed."