The 2019 Sepang test had a few interesting outcomes. First, Petrucci set a new unofficial lap record. Second, the final day of the test had the top 4 positions occupied by the Desmosedici bikes. And third, Yamaha and Ducati tested their new fairing designs. Now, latest updates tell us that the new fairing designs of both the teams have been approved and cleared by the MotoGP technical director.
As per crash.net, Danny Aldridge, Technical Director, MotoGP, told them, “The new Ducati and Yamaha fairings that you saw in Sepang have been given the ‘OK’ by me in respect of their actual designs.”
The 2019 MotoGP season is using a jig to check whether a fairing design meets the required dimensions or not. “The Yamaha fairing was also checked in the jig for size [and passed]. Regarding the Ducati fairing, they borrowed the jig, but I don’t know if it fitted,” said Aldridge.
Even though the new fairings of Ducati and Yamaha have been cleared, it is not necessary that they would be used in the Grand Prix. Teams use new designs during official pre-season tests for a number of reasons like to gather data, etc. Also, it is also possible that a tested fairing would perform unexpectedly and would be discarded.
The current MotoGP rules say no to normal wings but allow downforce devices that are an integral part of the fairing itself.
There is the final pre-season test remaining before the 2019 season kicks off. Let’s see whether we get to see some new fairing designs or not.
