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Just being fast is not enough. Sometimes you also need to know how to risk and count on the help of the blindfolded goddess. In Valentino Rossi's second place in the Assen qualifiers, very little is taken for granted, “I took a risk; otherwise I would have started from the back. When I stopped to change the rear tyre I was behind”, he recounts.
What happened?
“At Assen that's the way it goes. In 5 minutes the track conditions change completely. I started thinking that I would hang back the whole time, but after 3 laps I realised that it was difficult to improve. There were some dry parts and the rear tyre was sliding.”
And you came into pit lane…
“I took a risk. I hoped to be able to take two laps. There was only time for one, but it was the right choice and I had a bit of luck. Losing the pole was a pity, but the front row is important.”
A lot of people fell in the wet…
“In those conditions it's easy to make a mistake, in FP4, especially when the rain was falling hardest, whereas in qualifying the situation was better. That's the way it will be in the race. Those who understand the limits of the track will have an advantage.”
Are you thinking about a wet race?
“I'm hoping for dry. In those conditions I'm competitive. In the morning session I was able to maintain a good pace.”
Dovizioso says the best…
“I don't think I'm the man to beat. Marquez seemed to me to be slightly faster and even in the wet he is very fast.”
Let's talk about a hypothetical wet race…
“That's what the forecast says. Tomorrow will be worse than today. In that case, everything would change. The individual potential of the riders is uncertain. Marc is fast on water, but so are the Ducatis, and I'm not only talking about Dovizioso and Iannone's official bikes, but Petrucci and Redding's Pramac bikes too. Besides, it might not necessarily be a completely wet race.”
What do you mean?
“The asphalt dries out quickly and it will likely be a flag-to-flag race, which makes everything even harder. But we aren't important enough to be able to control the weather (he laughs).”
How do you race in those conditions?
“Just think about staying upright is not enough. It would be nice, but the others walk all over you. It takes courage and luck. You need to know where you can push and where you can't, staying on the only usable trajectory. You have to keep some space in your mind to analyse the situation, remember what happened in the previous lap and make the right choice at the right time.”
Maybe this is the right chance to use the intermediate tyres…
“It's already hard to choose tyres on the dry, just imagine between slicks, rain and intermediates! I think that, for safety, they are useful, but it depends on what their window of use is and I have never tested them. But maybe, if you need to risk, you might as well put your money on slicks.”
Lorenzo is lagging behind. One less problem?
“My first problem is Marquez, who is behind me on the grid. The second problem is Jorge and it is definitely positive for me that he is struggling. As is the fact that Viñales and Iannone are farther back on the grid. They both have a good pace.”
Would you sign right now for a finishing order like the one in qualifying?
“It would be a good thing for my championship... yes, I'd sign right now (he laughs).”
Let's talk about your students. They also did well in Moto3…
“I'm very pleased, but unfortunately for us and fortunately for him, Bastianini is on the pole (he laughs). Anyway, I'm happy that there are a lot of Italians up front, whether or not they are from the Academy. For tomorrow I'm hoping for a dry race for them, because my guys are not too fast in the wet.”
