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MotoGP, Rossi: the new M1? I hope Sepang brings something new

TEST TIMES. Valentino not enthusiastic: "we're lacking acceleration and I still have to understand the new frame"

Rossi: the new M1? I hope Sepang brings something new

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Sometimes a face is worth a thousand words and Valentino's face, at the end of the two-day test at Valencia, was not the best. His time has little to do with it (though was not so fast, seven tenths off his team-mate Vinales) as it's more about the sensations he's getting from the 2017 version of the M1.

The bike is only at the first stage of evolution, but the Doctor clearly hasn't found what he was looking for. Although he stated that “the tests have been quite positive” it's difficult to find enthusiasm in what we read between the lines, in fact it's more like disappointment.

Today I made some comparisons between the old and new frame and engine and there's a lot of work to do  - he underlines - I have also tests the new tyres for Michelin and they're not bad”.

What can you say about the new chassis?
It's quite different to the current one, today I was able to use it for longer and noted some positives. But we still need to find a suitable setting”.

And in terms of the engine, does what you said yesterday still stand?
Yes, my feelings are the same. We need to focus on improving acceleration”.

Can we say that, overall, you expected more?
Honestly I didn't know what to expect, but I need to complete more miles to get a clearer idea. Next week we'll be at Sepang, and we'll put the new frame and engines together. And I hope we have something new there.

You weren't aiming for the fastest time today?
I put in new tyres on the 2016 bike, I could have done better but I was more or less in line with the race times”.

Vinales was very fast though…
Yesterday he was immediately quick and today even more so. He'll be in the fight for the title I'd say”.

As we've said, Maverick set the fastest time, and was the only rider to duck under 1’30” with a best of 1’29”975. The only one to come close to that was Marc Marquez, who stopped the clock 0”196 from the Yamaha. Third for Andrea Dovizioso who set his time riding the GP17, closing 0”468 from Vinales.

A solid fourth fastest time for Andrea Iannone on the Suzuki, ahead of the Hondas of Pedrosa and Crutchlow. Cal's time was matched by Valentino, 7th, followed by Lorenzo in 8th. An encouraging debut for Aleix Esparagrò on the Aprilia, the Spaniard set the 9th time, 0”910 from the front.

The two Tech3 rookies, Folger and Zarco, closed 10th and 11th.

Pol Espargarò didn't do badly with the KTM, considering that he limited the gap from the front to 1”878 (17th), Smith was further back, 20th and with a gap of 2”593. Lowes didn't ride today after crashing yesterday, while Rins damaged two vertebra in a crash this morning.

FINAL TIMES

Translated by Heather Watson
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