MotoGP, Rossi: starting from zero? I'm starting from -10

The Brno GP is a special one for Valentino, where he scored his first win 21 years ago. A memory surely imprinted on the Doctor's mind, who might be getting older but only in terms of his ID card. Like a chameleon, Rossi has been able to adapt as times have changed.

“In recent years the youngsters have raised the bar, it's all become more professional. Perhaps though, the biggest difference is on a technical level, especially in terms of the tyres. There was once more race strategy, you needed a couple of laps to heat the tyres and at the end of the race you were lapping a second and a half slower. Now you have to give it your all from the first to the last corner. This makes physical preparation more important too”.

Speaking of strategy, can there be any in this championship?
“Yes when you're only fighting with one rider, but not with four. Now all that counts is finishing in front and then you see what the others are doing. You need to fight them all at the same time”.

So you're starting over from zero?
“I wish, I'm starting from -10 but if the others agree maybe we could all start on the same points (he laughs). The first part of the season was really incredible and I don't know if it will continue in the same way or if either Yamaha, Honda or Ducati will be able to break away”.

You mention bikes, not riders…
“Because I think it's more of a technical thing. Just look at what's happened to Vinales or Marquez: they would win one race and then finish 8th in the next. In that case, it's not a rider problem”.

What will tip the balance?
“I think it will continue to be the tyres, a lot depends on them. The way a bike adapts to the tyres is key and there have been continual ups and downs”.

There's no room for predictions then?
“In the past you knew which bike would go better or worse at a given track, but that's no longer the case. I hope to score more points in the second half than in the first and maybe all five of us will get to Valencia with the same points”.

One cert is the new frame…
“It definitely helped me at the Sachsenring, where we usually struggle, but you can never relax. It's already a fight to get directly into Q2”.

How do you expect this leveling?
“A lot comes down to the ECU and Michelin, that brings 3 front options and 3 rears to allow every rider to find his tyre. Also, a stable regulation has allows manufacturers to improve and reach a similar level. Then there is also the push of the young guys”.

Photo © Fermino Fraternali