MotoGP, Rossi: Michelin, bring us just one carcass

It's only Friday but Valentino Rossi is already thinking about Sunday. On day one at Jerez, the Doctor was thinking more about pace than pure speed, trying to understand his pace on used tyres. “I could have been infront of Aleix Espargarò and Barbera, but the real goal is to be with Lorenzo e Marquez, the best”, he confirms.

How do you view day one?
“I'm quite pleased because I was immediately competitive and had good sensations. It's important to start with a good base. I never changed the tyre, I wanted to understnd how they'd behave after twenty-odd laps.”

And?
“The rear slides a lot, but the bike remains nice to ride. I also carried out some set-up tests and I found some improvement. Today Lorenzo and Marquez had the strongest pace but I'm not far off. I'm already quite competitive, but I need to improve through the final sector.”

And complete a solid qualifying…
“That's something I'm continuing to work on. I admit that last year I had more trouble finding the right bike balance. But, to be strong on Sunday you don't just need to start from a good position, you also need to work well in each session.”

Did it surprise you to see Marquez's Honda up front here too?
“I've never underestimated it, it's very different to the Yamaha but still extremely competitive. Also, this track doesn't particularly favour us, I'd say we're equal. It's true that Lorenzo won last year, but he's very fast at this track.”

Many riders have complained about rear grip…
“At this track we also struggled with the Bridgestones, but using a more rigid carcass doesn't help of course. But safety comes before everything else.”

So Michelin is justified?
“The real problem is another. With Bridgestone they always used the same carcasses and changed the compounds, that made everything simpler. Now however there are different carcasses, I hope we end up using just one.”

Why?
“The compounds are needed to adapt to different temperatures but the carcass affects riding”.

Like the wings, which you've used here too?
“They allow you to have greater contact between the rear wheel and the asphalt, they help. I've tried the M1 both with and without, and I'll continue to use them”

Though you continue to dislike them…
“It would be better not to have them, but only for aesthetic reasons.”

Talking about the M1, with the cap at the rear of the tank. You tried it at Austin and Lorenzo here, will you use it tomorrow?
“Perhaps, we'll decide this evening.”