Yamaha rider Andrea Locatelli's WorldSBK form is a source of frustration for everyone involved, according to Pata Yamaha boss Paul Denning. Despite finishing fourth in the championship last year and winning a race at Assen, Locatelli's performance on the Yamaha R1 has been underwhelming. During the Phillip Island World Superbike test, Locatelli admitted to feeling uncomfortable on the bike, which was further evidenced by his 15th-place finish on Friday in Australia, four places and 0.2 seconds behind his teammate Xavi Vierge. Denning expressed his concerns, stating that the team has struggled to find a good feeling since the test began on Monday morning. However, he also noted that Locatelli hasn't lost confidence and is simply searching for his rhythm after a disrupted preseason testing campaign. The plan is for Locatelli to catch up to Vierge's performance and improve as the season progresses. On the other hand, Vierge's performance has been impressive, as he finished in the top-10 on his first proper day as a Yamaha rider. Denning praised Vierge's positive attitude and enjoyment of the bike and team, despite it being only his second track with the bike. This contrast between Locatelli's struggles and Vierge's success adds an interesting dynamic to the team's performance.
