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Just when he had the taste of victory in his mouth, his hopes went up in smoke. There was nothing Maverick Viñales could do, forced to settle for second place in the Austin Grand Prix qualifiers. Marquez beat him, but he has his sights set on a rematch in the race.
“It’s a pity. At first, I thought it was in the bag, but then I saw Marc behind Vale and the person following always has a bit of an advantage since he has a point of reference ahead of him. He found what he needed to take the pole. He did a good job, because he is really strong in qualifying. I am still pleased with my performance, because I pushed 100% and I know that I can battle for the win.”
What expectations do you have for Sunday?
“A good start will be fundamental. I’ll need to try to stay ahead of Marc or at least close to him in the opening laps. Unfortunately, I am still struggling a bit in the third sector, particularly turning. In warm-up I will need to do more to take a step forward.”
How do you see a head to head finale with Marc?
“It would be nice to battle with him. We have been focusing on the final laps with the team. Today I squeezed 100% from the bike. I think I have a good pace, but I am well aware that I can improve.”
Can you explain the clash with Rossi?
“It was nothing. As a Spanish rider I am a little hot-blooded. There were a lot of riders ahead and I found myself close to him. Maybe he didn’t notice me and so we had that misunderstanding.”
Is winning the priority for the race?
“If a rider has the chance, he always tries to take it. Obviously, there are various aspects to assess, especially the tyres. It would be nice to do the last lap with Marc.”
Given the season start, you can settle for second place. Could that be an advantage?
“Sometimes that is not an advantage, because you have more motivation when you have to beat someone. I am still confident since the Yamaha is really competitive.”
What do you think about the tyres after so many crashes?
“We are trying to find a better compound, especially for the cold. When the temperature drops, the tyres suffer a lot.”
With whom would you rather arrive at the last lap, Marquez or Rossi?
“I am thinking about the Championship and Valentino is lying second, so I’ll say Marquez.”
