Yamaha: Single tyre a boost for MotoGP

Yamaha believe the move to a single tyre supplier will boost MotoGP - even though they admit that they had philosophical objections to the end of the tyre war

Last year Valentino Rossi switched to Bridgestone, while the rest of the Yamaha line-up stayed on Michelins for what turned out to be the French company's final season in the sport.

Team manager Davide Brivio said that the loss of tyre testing had provided an immediate source of cost cuts.

"The mono tyre rule gave rise to a great deal of discussion, but it came at the right moment," he said.

"As a consequence there has been a reduction in testing, which is exactly what was needed.

"I think it's been a happy coincidence, very welcome. During this winter the number of tests has already been reduced and this trend will probably continue during the season, we're still talking about that."

Yamaha racing director Lin Jarvis added that he had personally supported a switch to single tyres even when his company policy argued otherwise.

"Yamaha as a manufacturer was against the single tyre rule, but that was primarily because our philosophy as a corporation is free competition, free challenge, free spirit," he explained.

"However, although Yamaha was officially against the mono tyre rule, the team was not. The team was pro the mono tyre rule, because of course there are different issues at stake.

"Frankly, I have personally always supported the mono tyre rule and I think now we are starting to see some of the benefits already."

Although Yamaha do not believe the change will increase the level of action in the races, they expect the field to become more competitive with tyre equality - after several races last season when riders on Michelin were unable to fight at the front.

"There won't be a great difference. The top riders will be the same, but at least they will compete on an equal footing, which is good from a sporting and an audience's point of view," said Brivio.

"We paid the consequences of the tyre rule in 2007, but it also happened in 2008, when some riders couldn't fight for victory because they had the wrong tyres. This won't happen next year, so the championship will be even more hard-fought because all the riders will have the possibility to race competitively."

Despite his team's scepticism, Valentino Rossi hopes that the single tyres will make the races more exciting.

"For better or for worse and considering the show, during the last few laps of the race the bike will move around a bit more and so you will have to go a little bit slower," he said. "This will probably produce closer battles. We hope so."