MotoGP | GP Qatar 2 Race: Valentino Rossi, “I suffer on the soft tyres”

MotoGP GP Qatar 2 Yamaha Petronas SRT 2021 – Valentino Rossi, after experiencing the worst qualifying of his career yesterday in Qatar, 21st time and penultimate row, ran an uphill race at the Losail International Circuit, scene of the Doha Grand Prix, the second round of the 2021 MotoGP.

The “Doctor” crossed the finish line in sixteenth position (outside the points zone, ed.) finishing +14.246 behind the winner Fabio Quartararo. In the race he tried a new electronics setting and something seems to have gone better, even if the starting position compromised his race. Here's what Yamaha's #46 had to say.

Valentino Rossi Statements Qatar GP 2 Race

“I expected to finish in the top ten, I even started well, but in the first laps I struggled, I wasn't fast enough. The race pace was '55 all the laps, low '55 for the whole first half of the race, not bad, the problem is that all the riders are going very fast, all the bikes are going fast and when you start so far back it's really difficult. I tried to ride well and push until the end, but I thought I was faster.”

Statements Valentino Rossi expectations Qatar GP 2 Race

“During the race I also saw the first, we were all there but it's hard. We really struggled on Friday and Saturday, then fortunately last night we talked and changed a few things and today I was able to ride better. There are some small positive things, but it's difficult, I expected to be in the small group where Franco was (Morbidelli, his students in VR46 Riders Academy and team-mate in Petronas, ed.) and I expected Franco in the small group further ahead."

Statements by Valentino Rossi on soft tire problem Qatar GP 2nd Race

“Today we went much faster than last Sunday, but everyone was faster. This weekend we suffered a lot, even in FP1 and FP3 held during the day, while this morning in the warm up things went better. The problem is that here we race with the soft tires and I suffer a lot with this type of compound, because for some reason I put stress on the rear tire which slips too much. The tire starts to vibrate and I have to slow down. However, the tires are the same for everyone, you have to race with them but the cards can be mixed up on other tracks where a different compound is used.”