MotoGP Barcelona: Valentino Rossi, "We're on pace, it could be a fun race"

Yamaha MotoGP GP Catalunya 2015 – Today was a difficult day for Valentino Rossi, who ended day 1 of the Catalunya Grand Prix in eleventh position. The Yamaha rider is therefore out of the Top Ten and if it were to rain tomorrow morning, he would be forced to take part in Q1 in order to be able to compete in the final phase of qualifying. On the other hand, the seven-time Top Class champion is quite competitive on pace.

Valentino, tell us about this first day of testing which saw you finish outside the Top Ten.

“The position obviously doesn't satisfy me, I'm eleventh and it would have been much better to be tenth, but I'm optimistic given the setting of the bike in race configuration. This afternoon I rode with the hard tire and I felt good. Then I put on the soft and I thought 1:42.3 might be enough. The others, however, did a real time attack and beat me."

What is missing to be competitive in the race?

“What's missing is doing more laps with the bike I used this afternoon, to be able to use it 100%. As I said, my race pace satisfies me, we need to sort out small details."

Would getting into the ten be fundamental?

“It would be better, but there are many riders who go fast and have a lot of bike. So in the end it wouldn't be a disaster. I say this because it is true that tomorrow in testing Ducati and Suzuki could have an advantage (he speaks referring to the soft tyre, ed.) but on Sunday in the race the situation could be reversed. I repeat, as far as the pace is concerned, maybe a fun race will emerge."

With this heat do you think we can go back to using the hard tire and therefore make a difference with the Open?

“I tried the hard tire and it felt good. We still have to decide and I would like to be able to use it, but it is more likely that our soft tire will be used, which would then be their medium tyre."