Round 12/16, Portugal GP
Circuit Estoril - Portugal
Circuit length - 4,182 km
Circuit lap record - New circuit

The next Grand Prix, at the Estoril circuit, is the third Portuguese GP but the first actually run in that country. The first two were both hosted in Spain, at Jarama in '87 and Jerez in '88. Yamaha riders dominated both GPs, Eddie Lawson winning each one with two Yamahas behind him. Juan Garriga won the 1987 250GP on his Yamaha and was second in '88. The first time Estoril heard the howl of V4 GP motorcycles was at the IRTA test in March this year, and Round 12 of the MotoGP season will be the track's baptism of fire.

Circuit characteristics
Estoril was written into the GP calendar several times in previous years, only to be removed for not meeting safety regulations. But recent circuit upgrades made it fit for racing and put it back on the MotoGP calendar. Its infrequent use means it’s a "green" circuit, a name GP technicians give to a track with no real race line laid down, and therefore giving low traction. Estoril is close to the Atlantic coast and surrounded by sandy soil that is blown onto the track surface, exacerbating the lack of grip. The winds at Estoril are so strong that trees grow on an angle, so imagine what they do to a 131 kg motorcycle at full speed.

Even with its many challenges, Estoril should still be a good GP circuit. Its combination of long straights, tight hairpins and long, sweeping corners gives a variety few circuits can match. It’s demanding on both rider and bike. Many corners are blind on the exit, making it difficult to get on the gas, and many have a flat camber, which can work against riders who like to use positive banking as a force to help them steer through a corner.

All teams will start at Estoril with the same disadvantages, because none have raced at Estoril, so those who are quickest to adapt to the new conditions will excel. Yamaha teams left the IRTA test with reams of information, but with on-going development and modifications, the bikes have changed so much since then that the data will need to be adapted to suit these changes. Only the gearbox settings will stay the same. One thing everyone does know is that to do a fast lap at Estoril you need to be on the right line and to do this you need a perfectly balanced bike. Finding that line is one thing, but keeping it is another matter in a race when riders are all fighting for that same line.

General set-up development over the weekend.
Perfect harmony between front and rear suspension is the goal for Yamaha technicians this weekend. Finding that spring balance will ensure the bike stays stable. If the front and rear springs are unbalanced the bike will become nervous and unpredictable, and riding style will become erratic. The tight hairpins will encourage the bike's rear to slide and the wheel to spin, increasing tyre wear. A softer spring with lots of pre-load should solve this problem; it will alter the bike position – holding it higher – and the pre-load will stop the bike from squatting. The steering will need to be very good to cope with the flat camber and the engine will be tuned for maximum speed but with good acceleration down low as well. This can’t be achieved perfectly, but with both Estoril's straights being downhill, horsepower is not as crucial, enabling the engine to run a high-speed tune modified for additional low-down torque.

The IRTA test revealed that Estoril is hard on tyres, but at that time there was a lot of abrasion from sand on the circuit. Efforts have since been made to grow grass in the barren areas to prevent sand from blowing around. There have also been some developments with tyres since March – the reintroduction of the 16.5-inch front and rear being one – so the bikes will need to be set up quickly to leave ample time for tyre testing.