Yamaha boss Massimo Meregalli says Valentino Rossi's so far win-less 2018 MotoGP campaign has been “hard for eveyrbody” at the Iwata marque, with Rossi going 25 races without a victory.
Yamaha's longest win drought in its premier class history was ended by Maverick Vinales last time out at Phillip Island, though teammate Rossi is still to climb atop the rostrum since claiming Yamaha's last victory prior to Vinales' success at Assen last year.
Rossi has not endured a campaign in Yamaha colours without scoring at least one win, while his last season without victory came in his second year at Ducati in 2012.
Meregalli admits the Italian's plight has been “hard for everybody” at Yamaha, and hopes Vinales' win will act as “additional motivation” after hinting the Spaniard's Australia success while Rossi was only sixth offered some frustration for him.
“It's hard for everybody. As I said also before, we really work hard and maybe much more than what you can see,” Meregalli told motogp.com on Thursday in Malaysia.
“We always try to provide the rider with something good, with something to win the race, and for sure now that Maverick win maybe – I don't want to say he got some frustration, but for sure I hope this will be an additional motivation more than a frustration.
“Sepang is a good track for him, both him and Maverick really like this track. There are many circumstances that can play a big role: the condition, could be wet, dry, very hot.
“The grip level when it gets really hot is not good, and that is not good especially for us. But we will try to manage all these aspects.”
Rossi and Vinales' troubles have stemmed from an aggressive engine and problems in getting the bike's electronics to work properly, giving them issues under acceleration and with tyre wear as a result.
Speaking about the '19 M1, Meregalli says fixing the engine's driveability will be “fundamental”, and hopes to arrive at next year's Sepang pre-season test with a motor that should “give us what is missing now” based on work carried out at tests at Valencia and Jerez this month.
“We think also the electronic was not the only point where we were facing difficulties, also the engine character will be smoother next year.
“For sure this will help because, as you know, with this current tyre you have to manage them and the engine driveability will be fundamental.
“Many times we could stay there until a certain moment, but then we had a drop, and for sure [an improvement to] the electronics plus the engine character and something else will make it better.
“We will start to work in this direction in the last two days in Valencia, we will keep going in Jerez and by Sepang next year we should receive something that should give us what is missing now.
“You know, we are not used to big engine changes but for sure it will be an improvement.”
