MotoGP Assen: Valentino Rossi, “Beautiful victory, with Marquez it's always very tough”

MotoGP 2015 Movistar Yamaha Dutch TT Race – A very satisfied Valentino Rossi spoke at the end of the Dutch Grand Prix, eighth stage of the 2015 world championship. The Yamaha champion in fact managed to beat Marc Marquez and win the race. A very open battle until the last chicane, when the two came into contact, with Rossi cutting the chicane and going on to win the race. Obviously the two have different visions, here's what Valentino Rossi told us.

“Today was a good race, it was important to try to do my best, because when you go fast like that in a championship that will be tight until the last race you have to do like Jorge and Marquez, who made up for me a lot. Today it was important to get 25 points instead of 20.”

Tell us about it from the start.

“I was worried because Jorge was very strong at the beginning, but after a few laps I understood that the opponent today would be Marc. Then Marquez and I left, on the one hand I was happy, but on the other I knew it would be a big fight because with Marquez it's always difficult in the end. I tried for many laps to get away, I set a good pace but I couldn't break away from him. Then I was tired and at the limit, so he passed and went fast, but I knew I could go a little more and on the penultimate lap I took the lead I did 1'33"6, a time that he did on the fourth lap, me after twenty-five. He said he made a mistake on that lap, but that's not true, I simply went faster. I gained half a second, I tried to replicate on the next lap, but I couldn't do it and so he caught me. Then we reached the last chicane, now I want to see it again, but in my opinion I was in front, I had already entered, he caught me, I think like in Argentina and threw me out, wide. The only way to stay on track was like on the PlayStation, when he plays against a transparent opponent, the ghost. Instead I was there and I couldn't do anything else.”

Did you expect the attack at the last chicane? 

“I was hoping to have a slight advantage, now I have to see it again but I felt it was there. She was going fast, but in that “T” if you are behind her it makes a lot of difference because you have the reference.”

Did you also study the last S?

“I knew that in a hypothetical battle with Marquez it would be very tough, because usually with his style, with his bike he comes in very strong in those situations, so I tried to do my best. When I turned right to take the curb I said to myself that it was done, he arrived but in my opinion it was a little late, I almost had my knee on the ground, so I think that when he looks at it again he too will change his mind. Surely when you're in those situations and you're on a motorbike you don't have the exact sensations of what's happening, but I'll look at it too."

When you crossed the chicane and then the finish line did you have any doubts?

“Honestly no, because he was the one who threw me onto the gravel, I couldn't have stayed on the track anyway. I hoped I wouldn't fall, because then when you get into the sand you never know how deep it is, so I tried to step on the gas and got out!”

The feeling is that he would have won against any opponent….

“He is very strong in the last laps, but I'm not doing too badly either. Last year I was never able to beat him, he always beat me, so it was important to try to beat him on the last lap, not only for the victory itself but also for the 25 points in the championship."

Could this be the turning point? Could this basis that allowed you to go fast here also work at other tracks?

“In my opinion this victory is also the result of the work done in Barcelona. In other races like Argentina, Le Mans, Mugello, where I was fast, however, I wasn't so competitive. Since Barcelona we changed the setting and the new chassis also helped. However, I think that each track will have its own story. It will be very tough at the Sachsenring, in Indianapolis, so today it was important to close the gap in the standings because Lorenzo will come back very strong."

What do ten points ahead of Lorenzo in the standings represent?

“They serve to understand that recovery is difficult. He had done his best (4 victories, ed.) and had recovered many points from me, but today it was I who took them back. There are still ten races to go, so everything is still open.”

What does having gone head-to-head for 26 laps with Marquez and beating him represent? Make yourself stronger, determined?

“Today I had to do a race like Lorenzo, it almost came to me, except that he always gives so many seconds, while I wasn't able to get away from Marquez. A race like this is a nice boost of confidence.”

Could Marquez's championship below expectations compared to previous seasons also be the result of a technical discussion?

“I am very happy to have a points advantage over Marquez, because I am convinced that from the next race he will still be there fighting. Last year he had a superior technical condition, so it was very difficult to beat him, this year Yamaha has improved a lot and they have gone back to the old chassis, so it's a more open fight.”