GRAND PRIX News: MAX LIKES THIS THROTTLE

Max Biaggi's Marlboro Yamaha was working better than ever at Welkom - thanks to smoother power delivery.

Yamaha engineers believe their bike's major handicap against the Honda is inferior 'throttle lineality' - the ratio of throttle opening to power delivered to the rear wheel. Without good lineality riders don't have the precise throttle control they need to tame a 500's wild output.

"We're trying to get the power delivery to be smoother and more linear," said Mike Sinclair, Biaggi's crew chief.

"It's a combination of a few different engine bits, plus playing about with the electronics - the motor definitely seems to be getting better."

ENDS