Yamaha rule out bringing back ‘the wall’
Movistar Yamaha’s Managing Director Lin Jarvis has ruled out the infamous wall being re-erect in the Yamaha garage in 2016.
‘The Wall’ became a serious talking point during Lorenzo and Rossi’s first stint as team-mates, the wall dividing the two pit boxes during the 2010 season, before Rossi left Yamaha, joining Ducati for a hugely unsuccessful two-year spell.
Upon the Italian’s return to Yamaha, Jarvis insisted that the duo put team first and we haven’t seen a return of the wall, even after last years Malaysian Grand Prix which saw tensions at an all time high in the paddock. Despite there still being some hard feelings between the two, Jarvis insists that the wall won’t be making a return this season, with the teams success more important.
With the new Michelin tyres and Magneti Marelli software, the early stages of the 2016 season could be hugely favourable to the teams who work closely together, sharing data and helping each other, rather than a team who refuses to aid the man with whom he shares a pit box.
“Frankly, we will go into next season the same as we have done [in 2015],” he said during the launch of the 2016 M1 in Barcelona.
“There’s no reason to put a wall in the garage. We realise that the riders are individually competitors of each other. But the team itself, the mechanics for instance, the crew chiefs and the engineers, they all work really well together. If we put a barrier or if we put a wall in the garage, it would be to the deficit of the team and both riders and the engineers. This is something of the past, it’s not useful anymore.”
The end of the 2015 season was ugly for the sport and for Yamaha, despite there never being any truth in the speculation that Yamaha were seeking ways to terminate Lorenzo’s contract early, Jarvis still reiterated how happy he is with his rider line up, calling the duo “a dream team”.
“We have the best riders in the world with us, and that automatically brings a lot of expectation,” said Jarvis.
“The riders are winners. The riders are very demanding towards us. But I think we are able to deliver them what they need. We obviously realise that while 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. We want to go ahead and race with respect for each other, respect for our competitors, respect for the team and respect for the fans and the spectators. This is the the fundamental key thing. If we can have respect for each other, you can manage, because you can 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 with mutual respect.”
Photos via Movistar Yamaha