Yamaha’s new fairing proves that the decision to ban winglets in MotoGP was a “farce” designed to hinder Ducati according to Andrea Dovizioso.

MotoGP banned aerodynamic winglets, which had been pioneered by Ducati, at the end of last year for safety reasons.

Manufacturers this year introduced aerodynamic fairings to make up for the lack of winglets, with Ducati again most aggressive in its design.

Yamaha, on the other hand, had been relatively conservative until it tried a bold new design in the Valencia post-season test.

The fairing featured sharp edges similar those on the winglets which prompted the ban.

“I don’t want to create controversy, but there is only one possible interpretation,” claimed Dovizioso.

“We were told that the wings are forbidden because they are too dangerous, and these fairings today are more dangerous than those wings.

“I agree with the current regulations, but (the new fairings) prove that the reasons taken back then were a farce.

“So it shows that the real reason of the ban of the wings was to limit the progress Ducati.”

Movistar Yamaha’s Maverick Viñales defended the new fairing and said it made his bike clearly better.

“I don’t think it’s illegal,” said Viñales.

“Aprilia is doing the same, and Ducati, so I don’t know if it’s according to the rules.

“It feels good, it feels really good.

“We know for sure that the fairing is much better.”