MotoGP: Valentino Rossi, “It went quite well, but Marquez is very fast”

MotoGP 2015 Movistar Yamaha GP Germany Day 1 – Valentino Rossi ended the first day of free practice in the MotoGP class at the Sachsenring in seventh position. The Yamaha champion was very strong in the morning session, but in the afternoon session he tried solutions that he didn't like and which didn't allow him to improve his performance. Here's what the nine-time world champion had to say.

Valentino, tell us about this first day of testing, which saw you finish seventh.

“It went quite well, above all I'm happy with how we started this morning. This is a very important thing, we have a similar bike in Assen and Barcelona and it's a positive thing. In the afternoon I wanted to improve, but I couldn't. It's also true that when I went out with new tires I tried some solutions that I didn't like, while then we made further changes that gave me positive sensations, but I had used tyres. I'm only seventh, so we have to improve. We have a good foundation, but we still have a lot of work to do and a lot of details to put in place. To have a good race you will definitely have to go faster.”

Marquez went very fast, how did you see him on the track?

“Marquez went very fast and I expected it. He comes from a difficult period but then with the 2014 chassis he found the lost feeling again. We must not forget that this is a track that has seen him win since 2010 and that it is a Honda track. Pedrosa is also going strong here although I think Marquez has something more. A pace like the one shown is very difficult to maintain at least today, but it's only Friday, there's still time to recover. We have to be good tomorrow to get into the top ten and then be able to have a good qualifying session to try to start in the top five."

Even today there were two crashes at the waterfall (Alvaro Bautista and Pol Espargarò), one of three right-handers compared to ten left-handers. Here Bridgestone brought the asymmetric front, how did you find it with this type of tyre?

“In the morning the asymmetric tire certainly doesn't help and I understand that they crashed with the symmetric. The waterfall is a corner where you have to be careful, but the situation has improved a lot compared to recent years, when the tire struggled to warm up. It's a corner where you always have to be careful but now it's a little better.”

Do you think Honda can dominate like in Austin?

“I think Lorenzo can keep up with Honda here and we shouldn't forget Pedrosa. I have to try to lap like Jorge who will be close to the Hondas, even if in fact the Hondas seem to have a better pace."

Higher temperatures are expected tomorrow, do you think it will affect performance?

“I don't think it affects that much, although with the heat we could suffer a little more. However, I prefer a hot race than one like last year's (played with flag-to-flag).

Jack Miller moved from Moto3 to MotoGP this year. After this first part of the season do you think it was the right choice?

“I would say no and I'm sorry because he's a friend of mine and he's a rider I really like. In my opinion he should have done Moto2 before moving to MotoGP, the jump is too risky."