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Thirty-three points to make up is no small feat, neither are 24, but for Rossi and Vinales it's time to turn the recent trend around and they need to do so at Silverstone. On paper, it's not the worst of places, because Maverick scored his first win in MotoGP at the English track last year, while Valentino finished third, having won the previous year.
On the British asphalt (often damp or wet), both the riders and bike get on well, but as ever the statistics seem made to be rewritten this year. So it would be naive to think that the Yamahas start with an advantage, especially after what has happened in recent races.
To provide a brief summary, Marquez and the Honda become a tight unit once more, able to reach the podium in 5 consecutive races, with two wins in Germany and the Czech Republic. Representing Italy is Dovizioso who, with the Ducati, has won 3 of the last 6 races and now lies right behind the Spaniard. Without forgetting Pedrosa, 2 points behind Valentino, 11 from Vinales and increasingly consistent.
A real head-scratcher for the men in blue, who shared the Misano track with Honda yesterday as they search for what they're missing. The M1 is working well, but has the bad habit of chewing up the tyres, which means that in the final stage of the race their rivals break away and the podium remains a mirage.
Thus, in the last 4 races, Vinales has had to settle for a 3rd place, while Rossi has done better, scoring one win in Holland, but nothing more.
Something more is needed to fight the Honda battleship and fighting-fit Dovizioso. Yamaha has the advantage of running two real racehorses, but the negative is that the pair may take points from each other, making the standings situation more complicated.
To solve the enigma, they simply need to be better than everyone else, as they were in Argentina and almost Le Mans - easier said than done, especially now.
For this reason, the next race will be of vital importance to Rossi and Vinales. Not because the world championship will be decided at Silverstone, but the team will see whether the actions taken have been the right ones and whether the pair can fight on equal terms up until the end of the championship. The new frame and fairing have brought advantages, but not those they were looking for.
The Misano test closed with a smile, but Marquez and Pedrosa were also happy, while today it is Dovizioso and Lorenzo's turn. Jorge is showing he's made progress on the Desmosedici and if he continues on this path he could become a precious ally for Andrea.
Now we have to wait and see what the Silverstone race, and weather will bring.
