Performance review of Yamaha Factory Racing Team in 2012 season – MotoGP News
2012 was a spectacular year for Yamaha Factory Racing as they won the MotoGP Championship, Jorge Lorenzo being their star performer.
Spies tried but it seemed that the odds were against him throughout the season and he could never deliver except on a few rare occasions.
A three day test session started at the Sepang circuit in Malaysia on Jan. 31, 2012. This was the first activity of the MotoGP session 2012 as it finally got underway. Lorenzo ended the first day’s training on 1st position with 30 laps and also recorded
the fastest lap time. Ben Spies was close behind Lorenzo with 28 laps ending up on the 4th positions. On the second day of the training session, the team mostly gathered data to enhance the performance of the 2012 1000cc YZR-M1. On the last day, emphasis was
on gathering data about the balance of the chassis and to make necessary improvements to the electronic package in order to yield the enhanced horsepower of M1.
Lorenzo and Spies were again back in Malaysia on Feb. 28, 2012 for the second official IRTA test. The post-lunch session was washed out by rain. Still both team members tried to utilize the available dry time as best as they could. It was mixed weather on
the second day as well and the team tested the wet settings of M1. The Yamaha Factory Racing team members finished the second test session on a high note with Lorenzo rounding up on 4th position and Spies ending up 8th. The second test session for the 2012
MotoGP season, although disturbed by bad weather, was quite satisfactory for both Lorenzo and Spies since they got the chance to get a feel of the improved YZR-M1 in both dry and wet conditions.
Now it was time for the final 3 day test in Jerez which started on Mar. 23, 2012. The first day ended quite well with Lorenzo ending up second fastest and Spies ending the fourth fastest. Early half of the second day was wiped out by bad weather until the
team mates decided to go out on a wet track in the afternoon session. The final day proved quite fruitful since both Lorenzo and Spies pressed the bike hard putting in 84 and 61 laps respectively. The test sessions were all up and it was time for some real
action. Lucky for Yamaha Factory Racing, both riders were in high spirits and could hardly wait till they were back in action in the Qatar Grand Prix to be held on Apr. 8, 2012.
Prior to the Qatar Grand Prix, Lorenzo got the 2nd position in the Free Practice No. 1 whereas Spies stood 4th. Same were the results in Free Practice No. 2. In Free Practice No. 3, Lorenzo moved up to 1st position whereas Spies dropped down to 11th position.
Spies had a rough session which according to him was because he had not let the front tyre heat up properly.
On the day of the Qatar Grand Prix, Lorenzo was at his best. He was able to clinch victory just 0.852 ahead of Pedrosa. With 25 points to his name, Lorenzo put himself in lead from the very start of the championship. Spies finished a disappointing 11th.
It was Stoner who took the medal in the Jerez circuit with Lorenzo ending up 2nd with 0.947 seconds behind Stoner. The Yamaha Factory rider was still leading the championship with 45 points.
Similar were the in the Estoril circuit. Still, Lorenzo was able to setup a new fastest lap record of 1'36.909 for Estoril.
In the fourth race of the championship, Lorenzo was facing a wet racing day. Yet he delivered his best and won the Grand Prix consolidating his position at the top of the list. Lorenzo’s team mate, Spies, battered by hard luck, finished 16th.
Lorenzo clinched both Gran Premi De Catalunya & Hertz British Grand Prix. The British Grand Prix victory meant 3 successive victories for Lorenzo. Ben Spies kept lingering and was at 11th place in the standings.
Lorenzo had to face a dramatic turn of events in the Dutch TT when he had to retire from the race because he was taken out by an eager Álvaro Bautista on the first corner whereas Spies finished 4th.
Lorenzo finished 2nd in German, United States, Indianpolis, Czech Republic, Aragon, Japanese, Malaysian and Australian Grand Prix. He won the Italian and San Marino and Rimin’s Coast Prix. He had to retire again in the last race of the Championship, The
Valencian Community Grand Prix after he lost grip on the damp dry line suffering a side crash but was luckily uninjured. It was glory for Jorge Lorenzo as he won the MotoGP World Championship with 350 points.
Spies was never able to calm his never during the whole season and retired from most of the races after the Italian Grand Prix. In the Valencian Community Grand Prix, Yamaha Factory opted for the Wildcard Nakasuga instead of Spies. In a lucky turn of events,
Nakasuga finished 2nd in the final race of the event.
The next season of the MotoGP Championship begins on Apr. 7, 2013 in Qatar. Yamaha fans all over the globe wait and see if Yamaha Factory Racing will be able to defend the title or not.
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