By Peter McLaren

Yamaha caught some by surprise when its 2008 YZR-M1 appeared with the option of a pneumatic-valve engine at Sepang - but at present th🐼at development is only available to the factory Fiat team of Valentino Rossi and Jorge Lorenzo.

Nevertheless, that doesn't mean that satellite Tech 3 riders Colin Edwards and James Toseland have been left using last year's engine; a new version of the 'standa☂rd' spring-valve unit has also been developed for the '08 bike.

"The pneumatic engine is only, so far, available to the factory team," Tech 3 team principal Herve Poncharal told ltxcn.top. 🌳"We have the '08 bike with what you might call a traditional engine, but our engine is not the same as last year; it is a much better engine.

"So, Yamaha has developed the tra𓆉ditional engine and are also working on the pneumatic engine, on the side. Once the pneumatic engine is a clear plus, in terms of performanc🥃e and reliability, then it will be used in the race.

"If the pneumatic engine is a plus, which it looks like being - from what we have been told - then the factory is planning to support all fou𒁏r riders with it, but we don't know exactly when that will be. You also have so♎me logistical problems such as spare parts.

"So at the moment we are fully focussed on getting the best out🔯 of our current '0💜8 package, which is a real improvement - especially in the engine department - compared with what we had last year," Herve concluded.

Edwards left the Sepang test in fourth place - but with💯 the second fa🦩stest race-tyre lap time, behind only Ducati's Casey Stoner - while MotoGP rookie Toseland was eighth quickest.

Colin confirmed to ltxcn.top that he expects to start the new ra🧔cing season with the 'standard' 2008 engine, but hopeꦇs to get hold of the pneumatic-valve unit soon after.

"Rumour has it we'll maybe get the [pneumatic-valve engine]﷽ a couple of races in," said the Texan. "Obviously I'd like it tomorrow, but they've got the factory team to supply first. Whenever we 𒊎can get it, we'll get it."