FIAT Yamaha Team Present 2009 Yamaha YZR-M1

Taking the example of Toyota F1 team, Fiat Yamaha Team introduced their 2009 challenger online. The new bike features about the same technical specification as its 2008 predecessor, with most of the work being done on Jorge Lorenzo's machinery due to the change of tires through the winter. As the MotoGP will switch to a sole tire supplier in the next 3 years – Bridgestone – Lorenzo will also make the switch accordingly, as he used Michelin tires last year.

That made the mechanics change his bike a little bit in order to allow more adjustments to be made throughout the new season. Apart from that, Lorenzo revealed that his team's focus during the winter was to improve the new bike's acceleration when exiting the corners. That was made possible through an improved engine management, which will presumably give the Yamaha riders the chance to open the throttle a few meters earlier than before.

“In 2008, when we won everything: the Constructors´ title, the Riders´ title, the Teams´ title, it provoked a great motivation and reaction from rival riders and factories and they must have all started working to produce a bike capable of beating us,” commented team boss Davide Brivio during his team's online presentation.

“We´ll do the same. This is the nice thing about motor racing: during the winter there is a lot of talk, because this or that rider is faster on this or that occasion, the fans and the journalists start passing judgments and making forecasts. Then, the facts disprove many of them and this is the most interesting part of our job,” added the Italian.

The Yamaha riders will have their first shot at the new YZR-M1 during the Sepang testing session later this month. Until then, here are the complete specs of the team's 2009 challenger:

ENGINE: Liquid cooled Crossplane crankshaft inline four-cylinder, four stroke.
POWER: Over 200 horsepower (147KW).
TOP SPEED: In excess of 320kmh.
TRANSMISSION: Six-speed cassette-type gearbox, with alternative gear ratios available.
CHASSIS: Aluminium twin tube delta box, multi-adjustable steering geometry/wheelbase/ride height. Aluminium swingarm.
SUSPENSION: Ohlins upside down front forks and Ohlins rear shock, all adjustable for pre-load, high and low-speed compression and rebound damping. Alternative rear suspension links available.
WHEELS: Marchesini 16.5 front, 16.5in rear, available in a variety of rim widths.
TiRES: Bridgestone, 16.5 front, 16.5in rear, available as slick, intermediate, wet and hand-cut tyres.
BRAKES: Brembo, two 320mm carbon front discs, two four-piston calipers. Single 220mm stainless steel rear disc, twin-piston caliper.
WEIGHT: 148kg. In accordance with FIM regulations.