Davide Brivio defends Yamaha wall

Valentino Rossi’s team boss Davide Brivio has defended Yamaha’s decision to retain a dividing wall that will continue to split its factory garage in 2009.

The wall was introduced to prevent the leaking of intellectual property between Michelin and Bridgestone, with Rossi and Jorge Lorenzo using rival tyre brands last season.

With MotoGP adopting a controversial single tyre rule next season, many expected the wall to be abolished and Rossi and Lorenzo would be together in the same garage again.

But the wall is to remain, much to the annoyance of Spaniard Lorenzo, and Brivio said: “There has been a lot of talk about this solution, but now everybody is getting used to it.

“The dividing wall during 2008 was dictated by the presence of different technical partners, tyre suppliers, causing a divide in the technical structures. But this solution worked well.

“When two riders fighting for victory are in the same team, there can be some tension between them. This solution lets us manage the situation in the best way, because as they say we have ‘two roosters in the hen house’.

“Maybe it is better to keep them separated and let them be at their best during the races. I work only with Valentino Rossi, this is a good solution for him.

“But it is also good for Yamaha in general, because it allows both leading riders, Valentino and Lorenzo, to express themselves freely, without tensions in their relationship. I think others will follow our example.

“Even if they don’t have a real wall, sometimes there is an invisible wall and that can be even thicker than ours, which is visible.

“Other teams are experiencing tensions between their two riders, physically there is no wall between them but in reality it is almost as if there is one.”