Yamaha is the manufacturer with the most wins this season, having completed seven of the 13 Grand Prix races to date.
However, three of them come from Franco Morbidelli on the Petronas SRT M1 “A-spec” from 2019, with the Italian currently the leading Yamaha rider in the overall standings after his Grand Prix victory in Valencia.
Constancy left that on the M1 2020, with Fabio Quartararo just finishing one more top 5 outside of his wins, while Maverick Vinales got the same result outside of his Misano win and double Jerez podium.
Rossi, who has only one podium on his account in a year plagued by bad luck and a COVID-19 layoff in two races, believes one of the biggest problems Yamaha had in understanding its 2020 motorcycle was the lack of a test in Europe is a team.
“First of all, there is a basic problem,” began Rossi.
“By 2020, all the other teams had a very active test team that was doing well in Europe and with European drivers [Michele] Pirro, [Dani] Pedrosa and [Stefan] Bradl.
“Yamaha, on the other hand, doesn’t have the team. There was only one who ran with the Japanese test riders in Japan.
“But the biggest problem isn’t even that, it’s that he ran on tracks that have nothing to do with the European ones.”
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Yamaha built a European test team with ex-Tech3 rider Jonas Folger last year, but scrapped it for 2020 to have a unified test team that combines the European and Japanese parts of the racing team – but operates from Japan.
When COVID-19 hit, Yamaha’s test plans with Jorge Lorenzo were completely ruined. The Spaniard only drove the 2019 M1 four times this year – the last of which came in Portugal last month and ended four seconds behind him.
Lorenzo was fired for 2021, and outgoing LCR Honda rider Cal Crutchlow took over the role of Yamaha’s test driver.
Rossi admits his first choice was Andrea Dovizioso, who was close to a deal before opting for a sabbatical instead, but welcomed Crutchlow’s arrival.
“Yamaha needs a serious test team in Europe next year,” added Rossi.
“I would have liked very much if the test driver had been Dovizioso because he is a very fast, sensitive and very experienced driver.
“Crutchlow has ridden until this year too, so if he’s motivated he’s someone who can push the bike to its limits.
“More than a test driver, you need a serious test team program.”
Following the success of KTM, strong test teams have been brought into the spotlight this season, in large part due to Pedrosa’s work with the brand since last year.
Sylvain Guintoli’s collaboration with Suzuki since 2017 has also been hailed as a factor in the Japanese manufacturer’s ability to win the 2020 title with Joan Mir.