Having been Champions in 2021 and winning over 20 races in the last two seasons, it perhaps hasn’t been the 2024 WorldSBK season that Pata Prometeon Yamaha team boss Paul Denning had hoped for.

Always to the point, Denning firstly stated the competitivity of WorldSBK in 2024: “First of all, WorldSBK as a racing platform is more intense than it has ever been. There’s a big difference in comparison to just a year ago and that is that a slight lack of performance or comfort and confidence in the riders results in a P10 result in practice or a race instead of P4 or P5. We’re going a lot faster everywhere with ‘Loka’ than we did a year ago and ‘should have, could have, would have’ but… was either going to win or fight with Alex to win Race 2 at Phillip Island but we had the unfortunate fault that caused the accident. Sometimes, circumstances like that make a big difference and winning a race can be a catalyst to a lot of other things happening.

“Despite that, he’s maintained a very good level with consistently good performances, including another podium at Most and on the back wheel of the Ducatis. You can’t say anything bad really, other than we need to maximise the performance and the potential of the bike everywhere we go, with the level of infill that there’s been from our competitors this year compared to a year ago to be inside the top six, let alone fighting for a podium. It was a tough weekend at Portimao for ‘Loka’, the first tough one of the year, where he’s not felt confident and he’s not had the package that he needs.”

NOT THE DREAM: “There’s no hiding from the fact that it could not have gone worse”

Attention then turned to Jonathan Rea, where it’s been setback after setback for much of the season: “With JR, there’s been a lot of hope, expectation and excitement that a six-time World Champion ends his agreement early in order to come over to Yamaha and there’s no hiding from the fact that it could not have gone worse. There’s been some technical problems and accidents and a list of issues that have restricted his performance. We feel that we’re coming out of that now and we’re seeing a rider who is enjoying riding the bike. He’s starting to understand how to get the best out of the R1 and the team are understanding what he needs.

“The Superpole Race podium at Donington Park was a great performance but Most was a disappointment after the Superpole crash and then having to come back through from P15. Even then though, in Race 2, there were a lot of signs of determination to come through and make great passes on what is a tricky track to pass on and to get in the top six. Unfortunately, we had a problem in Race 1 at Portimao from one of our strongest positions of the year in a main race but again, the fact he didn’t pull in, he kept riding and scored a point, there’s a lot of respect that he’s showing to the bike and the team and the efforts everyone’s making. That respect is reciprocated massively. I don’t think we’ve yet seen Jonathan in his full element and that’s a match needed in terms of confidence, technical setting and the ability to get the most out of a package that is still relatively new to him. We’re getting there and looking forward to the second half of the year.”

OVERALL PACKAGE: “Our bike has measurably improved… the competition is a lot stiffer; Yamaha aren’t asleep”

“The package is better than last year and to not be in the same positions in the Championship is a reflection of the strength and depth in the Championship,” Denning analysed. “Petrucci in his second year on the bike, the obvious improvement led by Toprak on BMW’s side, Alex and Kawasaki clearly taking a substantial step forward compared to last year, Iannone’s not shy of getting involved… however you look through the field, there’re so many good riders on good bikes, it just takes a slight bit of underperformance. Our bike has measurably improved in a few areas and that’s reflected by the improvements we’ve seen over race distance. The competition is a lot stiffer and we need to do a lot more. Yamaha aren’t asleep in Japan or in the WorldSBK development centre in Milan and we’re working hard. The plan is always to try and improve the bike. No surrender and keep pushing.”

END GOAL: “If we can win a race before the end of the year then it’d be a spectacular result”

It may seem that targetting just a win for the team that won seven races in 2023, 14 in 2022 and the title in 2021 is a small goal but with the competition so strong, Denning maintains that winning before the end of the year would be something huge: “If we can win a race before the end of the year then it’d be a spectacular result, based on where we are right now after seven rounds. What would make us satisfied is continued improvements on both sides of the garage and particularly to give JR a package to fight at the front, which is clearly his position.”

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