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Limiting the damage could be the only plausible option tomorrow for Valentino Rossi, because against a Marquez like the one at Aragón there is little that can be done. Then, if you add in the fact that he will be starting from the front, the situation becomes so bleak that it drains any bit of hope that was left.
“We need to be realistic. Just look at the time sheets. The numbers never lie. Thinking that I’ll beat Marquez tomorrow, I won’t say is impossible, but it would be a miracle” he admits.
Does that mean you will be playing defence?
“Earning points will be important. Just finishing on the podium will not be easy because there are three or four riders battling for the two spots that are left. At the end of the day, I am 43 points behind Marc, so if that number becomes 40 or 46 after the race, it won’t change much.”
Did you expect the Hondas to be this good?
“Yes, because this is a track where they have always been fast and in recent races they have improved even more. Crutchlow and Pedrosa’s wins show that. Marc is clearly the one with the best pace and he will also be starting from pole.”
Will he risk more than usual to win tomorrow?
“Only he can know that, but he can definitely have a go.”
In FP4 you did not do badly, though…
“I was second and I was able to maintain a good pace with the hard tyre on the rear. I know that it still isn’t enough, though. I need to improve.”
Starting from the second row will not help…
“I am not happy about this 6th place. I was unable to do a good lap. I could have been faster.”
The day started badly…
“With a crash, without even finishing my first lap. I started with a new tyre on the rear and I made a mistake going into the corner too fast. I need to thank Dainese because I took a hard hit, but the airbag saved me from injury. I just have a small injury on the little finger on my left hand, but it doesn’t bother me too much.”
But…
“But I lost a lot of time and I had a lot of work to do today.”
Do you have a clear idea for tyre choices?
“We will need to wait to see the conditions tomorrow. For the front, a lot depends on individual riding style and the bike. For the rear I am leaning toward the hard, but if it is a bit colder some may try the soft.”
Today we saw a lot of crashes. Is that something to bear in mind for the race?
“This morning the sun was deceiving, but the asphalt was 3 or 4 degrees colder and a lot of us started with the hard tyres; that is why there were a lot of crashes. For the race, at 2 in the afternoon, the situation should be more normal. Turn 14, though, where Marquez, Hayden and Pol crashed, is still a critical point with very little grip.”
THE SEQUENCE OF VALENTINO ROSSI’S CRASH
