MotoGP: Valentino Rossi, “2018? It will depend both on the bike and on me"

MotoGP Valentino Rossi – Upon returning from testing in Malaysia, and on the eve of the Monza Rally Show, Valentino Rossi was a guest on Radio Deejay for a very long interview.

The champion from Pesaro touched on various topics, from last season to his private life and his future.

How did the tests go and how do you see next year?

“I returned yesterday morning from the Sepang tests where I tried various things. It went quite well, we rode the bike with the 2016 chassis. Now we all agree that the 2017 was worse, but we are waiting for the 2018, there will be something interesting. The starting point, however, will be 2016. Weight distribution, engine positioning and stiffness influence the performance of a good chassis. For this year it was difficult to fight for the championship, more so than last year when it could be done, but let's think about 2018. It depends both on the bike and on me. When the bike allowed me I went fast and between now and February Yamaha will have to make the leap in quality to fight. We have done ours, we have made our requests, but we are waiting for February. I follow the development, but everything is done in Japan, here are my mechanics who leave for Japan in January to build the 2 bikes.”

How do you explain to the engineers what's wrong with the bike and where the problems came from?

“You talk to the Japanese, in Japanese (laughs) maybe that was the problem. The problem was that once Vinales arrived, he was going strong, I wasn't feeling well. In the various tests I didn't feel good and I had doubts, Vinales was going fast so I thought I was the problem. This year has been very difficult. We did a lot of research, the bike runs badly with little grip and when it's hot. In Malaysia, during the tests however, it was hot and there was good grip, and the first races went well, they are all tracks with a lot of grip and the bike was working well. The problems started in Jerez and we started doing extreme things that sent us into trouble."

Valentino Rossi suffered an injury towards the end of the season, but more than physical pain it was also psychological damage

“It was tough, I broke my tibia and fibula and it was something that had already happened to me. I was desperate for three things: it hurt, I knew I would have to have surgery and I knew the championship was officially closed. Before, I was pessimistic, but we weren't that many points behind the leaders. Then it happened before Misano and it was bad. Before Mugello I crashed with the motocross bike and it went well, I hurt myself and it was hard, I had blood in my lungs. I was lucky because I didn't break anything. The second was a stupid fall at 30 km\h in terrain I know well, it was bad luck there. I'm fine now, I worked hard to forget the mistake. I worked my ass off and I'm fine now. I think that the quick recovery is due to the excellent intervention of Doctor Pascarella. Then it depends on the type of fracture. An intramedullary nail is applied to everyone. The leg holds, the bone is stiffened by the screw. Then I did a lot of physiotherapy, 6-8 hours a day.”

When the "Doctor" stops running he will certainly leave a big void, but it still doesn't explain why people are looking for him so much

“I think there will be someone very happy when I stop. I don't know why people are looking for me. I have a very long career, I have won a lot, and people have fallen in love. Here in Italy I introduced motorcycling to many people who weren't following it. But even abroad it's incredible. I have many fans in Spain it's a great taste and I don't know why. Also England and Australia, but especially in recent years Indonesia and Malaysia. There the passion rose dramatically. In difficult years, Japanese manufacturers remained standing thanks to the scooters they sold.”

During the winter tests, Rossi took to the track with a special helmet. Tell us where he got the idea from

“I went on holiday to Mexico and saw this art in a shop, where they use these beads for decorations. The colors and symbolism were similar to mine, with only moons and turtles. I took the photo and told Aldo (Drudi ed.) to do it like this. He glared at me, then we called Davide Degli Innocenti who made each bead by hand, and each requires 3 steps. I used it in Malaysia and I will use it at the Monza rally and for the rest of the tests. I change the helmet every two or three years, next year the design will change after 2 years.”

After the tests in Malaysia, the winter break begins. What does Valentino Rossi do during the holidays?

“So much Ranch. It's useful, it comes from the American flat track that Roberts did, they go around an oval. It teaches you to enter a bend without braking and to enter a bend by slowing down by placing the motorbike sideways. We will also go to Misano to ride with the R1, but December and January are cold. We will also go to Madonna di Campiglio to go Snow Boarding.”

In recent months a controversy has arisen from some inhabitants of Tavullia who have homes near the Ranch

“When you have a track where motorbikes run it's always a problem. We are in order with everything, we are fine. It will be a fight that will never end, which started when we opened. We shoot once a week in the winter and once every two weeks in the summer.”

The 9-time world champion also spoke about his love life

“It's difficult because when I go to the races I like to be alone with my team, I don't have time to have a girlfriend and this makes everything difficult. I'm happily married to the bike, it often reciprocates, but not always.”

He also spoke about the episode in Brno, when a minister from the Czech Republic approached him to ask for a "selfie" a few minutes before the start.

“In Brno this minister arrived on the starting grid, but we didn't know who he was. The last ten minutes are the most critical moments. People understand the moment, they take photos. She arrived, she put her hand on the bike, and she wanted to take a selfie. We removed her and she wrote the post on Facebook. In those ten minutes one is afraid, anyone who doesn't say it is not sincere, you are afraid of making a mistake or making some mistake."

In F1 the most impetuous driver is Verstappen, in MotoGP?

“Zarco is like Verstappen. Young, he never slows down, like Verstappen, you know you have to move otherwise you both get out. The fear has always been there, you look for concentration and see what you have to do.”

How do you enter the VR46 Rider Academy?

“There are no rules and no age. The last one we took was Foggia, who won the CEV and is 16 years old.”

Chapter Franco Morbidelli

“He is very strong, he won the championship, next year he will race in MotoGP with a Honda, it was a great satisfaction to see him win. I think I gave him something. He moved with his father to Tavullia, he was with us a lot. He is very balanced and is a golden boy.”

Is the man from Pesaro afraid of quitting?

“An interview I gave to a German site has come out. Yes, I'm afraid of quitting, but when that happens I'll have at least another ten years to race cars, maybe even on the track. But from the interview it seems that I run because I'm afraid of quitting, but instead I do it because I like it. Of course there's a bit of fear about when I'll return to real life, but then we'll see."

Valentino Rossi and Formula 1

“Ten years ago I tried the Ferrari and that was the moment I came closest, I went fast, but it would have been difficult to race at the highest level. I was at the peak of my career and I have no regrets because afterwards I won two world championships.”

Who was the strongest opponent?

“Marquez is the strongest, but also Stoner and Lorenzo, I would say the three of them.”

How do you explain Dovizioso's excellent year and Lorenzo's less positive one?

“The Ducati is a difficult bike, especially if you come from Yamaha because they are polar opposites in terms of idea. This year Dovi surprised everyone, he was good and showed that the bike is strong, as are the riders who rode it for the first time in Valencia, Miller and Rabat, so I fear that Lorenzo will also be strong next year.”