Yamaha wrap 2014 test despite Romain Febvre setback
By TMX Archives on 15th Dec 14
Yamaha Factory Racing are now into winter slumber until the Italian works outfit join other teams like KTM, Honda and Husqvarna on the island of Sardinia in January and in the lead-up to the first round of the Italian Championship at the Sardinian venue of Riola Sardo on February 1.
While the team were able to help 2014 MXGP runner-up Jeremy Van Horebeek hone the YZ450FM across three different sessions, their progress with new recruit Romain Febvre was halted after the Frenchman suffered a crash and small upper arm injury.
"Romain come over for his second test but had a crash on the first day," recounts Team Manager Mino Raspanti. "His right shoulder was painful and thankfully it was nothing big or serious but we had to stop the test. He'll be riding again in a couple of weeks and in the meantime is still in the gym doing his work. We'll meet up again after Christmas."
Febvre will be a rookie in the MXGP class for 2015 after a speedy three-season rise through Grand Prix that saw him gain MX2 podiums in 2013 and his first win this year. The 23 year old had already spent a week in Italy in October working with his new team and getting to grips with life on a 450cc racing machine for the first time.
"It was a good [first] outing and we had some more things for him to try but they were more general, not really the sort of spares or components that we'd need to order," Raspanti continues. "He liked the production YZ450F and we were building up with the race bike. We'll know more when we ride with him again and then spend a few weeks in Sardinia."
Van Horebeek meanwhile has been training in Belgium and also riding when weather conditions have permitted. The Belgian will repeat his 2014 programme of an extended period on Sardinia and Yamaha have important suspension tests lined up for that time of the new year. "We have tried a few things on the engine to make things easier for Jeremy but also give him a bit ‘more' out of the gate," says Raspanti, who also revealed that the team have refined the balance of the YZ450FM for the Belgian who rides with a curiously low-set rear set-up.
"That was the goal from the tests and I'm pleased with what we achieved so far even if we did not make any radical changes. Suspension tests will be next but that won't happen to the middle of January when we receive some new parts on the factory kit. The first Italian Championship race will be part of that test and then we'll continue to work afterwards."
‘YFR' are focussing again on the premier class with just two riders for the first time since the 2009 season and with interesting circumstances around both athletes: Van Horebeek is looking to make the step into being an authentic title contender while Febvre will be trying to blaze a path and mimic his team-mate, Steven Frossard, David Philippaerts and Josh Coppins who all created a sizeable impact in their first campaigns as Yamaha riders with the YZ450F.
