MotoGP Austin J1 Debriefing Valentino Rossi (Yamaha / 17): Not against the idea of ​​shortening the race, etc. (Full) – Media Service

This Friday, October 1, 2021, Valentino rossi answered reporters’ questions from the Circuit of the Americas, after day one of the Grand Prix of the Americas in Austin, Texas.

We went to listen (via teleconferencing software) to the words of the Italian pilot who had finished 2nd in the last edition, in 2019.

As usual, we report here the words of Valentino rossi without any formatting.

Valentino rossi : ” Hmmm… I’m not feeling very well. It’s not a good day for us as we are rather slow, and in particular we suffered a lot in the wet as we lose a lot in acceleration, as if we didn’t have enough rear grip. In the wet, it’s very difficult! In the dry, the situation is a little better because there are less differences, but anyway, I am not very strong. I have a lot of pain on the bumps. The track conditions are quite critical and we need to improve that as I am rather slow in the places where there are bumps. We have to try to do better and try to improve our pace. Today the weather forecast was very, very bad but in the end we were able to ride in the dry, so we hope that tomorrow, and especially Sunday, will be dry and sunny. “

A lot of the riders complained about the bumps today saying it was very risky and very dangerous. Do you think the same and will you go to the safety committee?

” The trail is good. I love the track and a lot of riders love the track. But the track has a lot, a lot of bumps. Usually here in America the trails have more bumps. We have spoken a hundred times about this subject of bumps to the safety commission, especially in turns 2, 3, 4 and 10, for example, in the back straight, and there is also a big bump in turn 18: They tell us that they are working, that they put new asphalt and that they solve the problem. In reality, they improved a lot on Turn 18 and the return straight, where the situation is really better, but in Turns 2, 3, 4 and especially in Turn 10 the track conditions are arguably worse than ‘in 2019. So it’s dangerous, yes! “

Quartararo also said that there are three different types of asphalt and that it is a bit tricky in the wet. Do you agree with that?

” Yes Yes ! There are three different asphalts with three different adhesions! It is very delicate in the dry but even more so in the wet, because you should know that the feelings are really different between the new asphalts and the old ones. Yes Yes. I am okay. But I think the biggest problem is the bumps. “

Physically, do you think it will be difficult to do the whole race on Sunday because of the bumps?

” Yes. Already, Austin is very physically demanding because you have strong braking and a lot of direction changes. Usually it’s cooler in April, so it’s easier, now it’s really hot. With this amount of bumps it’s hard to keep up the pace, and physically you have to really squeeze the bike over the bumps. It will be difficult! It will be difficult to race, for everyone, yes. “

Are you using the ride height device on this track?

” The start device is not bad, it is a small advantage we have a little less wheelies, so we are a little faster on this point. “

Many drivers say it will be difficult to go the distance of the race. Would it be an option to shorten this one?

” Tonight there is the safety commission and I think a lot of riders will be going there because a lot of riders are worried about the bumps. Yes, fewer laps wouldn’t solve the bumps problem, so it would still be dangerous, but fewer laps would be a little easier physically. It would be a little better. But I don’t know if that’s possible, or if they’ll find a good way to make the race shorter. “

MotoGP Grand Prix of the Americas FP2 results:

Ranking credit: MotoGP.com