MotoGP – Preview Shanghai – Valentino Rossi: "It's an F1 track"

Valentino Rossi arrives in Shanghai, China, with the aim of returning to victory after 4th place in Istanbul. the rider from Pesaro who occupies fifth position in the championship with 40 points has good memories of the Chinese track where last year he won in torrential rain. The victory came after problematic qualifying and therefore even more unexpected.

“Of all the victories in my career, China last year was the one
the most unexpected, given the problems suffered over the weekend and the rain
on race day,” said Rossi who, with fourth place in Turkey became
the driver with the highest number of points in history. “It was the first
victory with Yamaha in the wet, so it was special, but this year I would prefer it
really a dry Grand Prix. The 2006 version of the M1 didn't fare as well as it did
we had hoped for wet tests in Türkiye and also we need
do as many kilometers as possible in the dry to set up the bike like I do
pleases".

The Chinese route, like the Turkish one, was designed by Hermann Tilke, but
it is more reminiscent of the Malaysian one in Sepang, also the work of the German architect,
in tight corners and long straights which, according to Rossi, are still profitable
the rider's ability to find the right setting for the bike is more important.
“Last year my first impression of the track was very positive but
then I realized that it's not as fun as I expected,” explains the Italian.
“In reality it is not very streamlined and technical, a very “Formula 1” track where the drivers
they have to work hard to find the best settings for the bike. It is not
ideal for MotoGP, it is very demanding and puts both the riders to the test
both the means."