Yamaha tension from higher ups?

[CrazyCawi]

Not suprised at how Ben feels with what he has been handed this year, and today was a full account of how hard he is pushing the limits and giving his 100%. Yamaha shouldn't be blaming Ben for the problems this year.

Ben Spies, who announced via the internet that he was leaving Yamaha on the eve of last month's US MotoGP, has revealed behind-the-scenes tension with a senior member of the company.

After being forced out of second place by a massive engine failure in Sunday's Indianapolis Grand Prix - the latest in a relentless run of race day mishaps and bad luck - Spies was asked about his level of frustration.

Whilst reflecting on the setbacks he has suffered in 2012, Spies claimed that he was told 'not to show up' for the US GP if he wasn't going to ride at a hundred percent.

"There's frustration, but it's kind of almost got to a laughing point for me,” Spies began. “I'm really not even upset about it. It's just been so many things, one after another. You don't know how to respond to it.

"At Mugello, we had food poisoning, and that was a bad experience. I tried everything I could to do what we could, but it was a bad result.

"I was told by somebody at Yamaha that if I'm not going to ride a hundred percent at Laguna Seca, don't show up.

"I came to Laguna, and I tried the best I could. The bike had a malfunction. Then we came here with a hundred percent and did the best we could, and we had another mechanical with the bike. I've given my hundred percent.

"So to be told what I was told after Mugello and the way it was, and then to give the effort I've given the last two weekends, I just don't think it's been too fair."

Spies, who was racing with a shoulder injury after falling in qualifying, refused to identify the person who had made the comment: "I'm not going to say any names, but yeah, it was somebody high up."

When asked if he felt Yamaha was not giving him a hundred percent, Spies added:

"No, I wouldn't say that. I know my team is, my crew. It's shown. The bike's been good the last two weekends. I just don't respect what was told to me and what we've tried to do this year.

“We had our problem at Assen with the tyre, which was not Yamaha's fault, and also at Silverstone. But at Qatar and here and Laguna, we've had three mechanical problems with the bike. I wouldn't say it's Yamaha's fault at all. It's just been bad luck, too.

“Why it's happening to me, I don't know. There was a big frustration level, I'd say, about a month ago. But now it's just... we go to Brno, and I just kind of wonder what's going to happen next."

Spies, who is just tenth in the championship with a best finish of fourth this year, will be replaced by Valentino Rossi next season. The former World Superbike champion, with Yamaha, is yet to announce his 2013 plans.

Team-mate Jorge Lorenzo leads the championship and finished second at Indianapolis after Spies' smokey exit.

 

[Detrich]

Sounds like typical asshole nazi Japanese management, which can be extremely results driven and unreasonable, and well, brutal.

Not sure if we are only hearing Spies
side, but it's Japanese culture sometimes- ie thinking that employees exist solely for the advancement of the honor of the company etc etc.

Given how they were covertly maneuvering to get Rossi back though, I wouldn't be entirely surprised if what Spies said is true... And, that is he was
completely marginalized and threatened by the upper ranks.

If it happened, it's not right. And, Ben should tell all to shame them for what they did.

 

[CrazyCawi]

Ben is a legend. I love Rossi and everything about his career but Yamaha has no right to short Ben of his glory. Yamaha moved on before Ben had the way it seems. Its almost as though they were letting these things happen in hopes hed move on. Sad thing is some of these could have ended in death for Ben.

 

[Fizzer6R]

not excusing Yamaha's attitude, or especially the lack of quality control on his bike this season; Ben probably could've made things go a little more smoothly by at least telling them 1st he was leaving, and not let them find out from the media instead. that must've pissed them off. now the fact he's not saying what/where he's going next year is also odd, shouldn't be any secret, like trying to hide something

 

[Marthy]

I don't know the whole story but from what you guys are saying... it won't get any better. He's already out, 10 in championship points. 2 things is going to happen:

1- They won't tell him $hit! That mean he won't know all the new goodies and set up coming up for next year. Because at the end of the day... hey are going to be competitor!

2- This is when the R&D team jump in. He might end up testing all sort of new light weight parts to see if they can last... So I can see few more DNF for the remaining of the season.

So, he's fk! All he can do is push as hard as he can, not doing any mistake and hope another team will notice and sign him up for next year.

Don't know much about his situation... but know enough how racing work.