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2017 is not yet over, Valentino has another year of his contract still to run but he is already being asked as to when he'll take a decision about his future. At first, he replies with his usual composure: “I'd like to continue racing after 2018. We'll wait for the first races of the year, so that I can have more idea about my speed and then I'll speak with Yamaha. At that point, we'll see what we're going to do”.
A reply that doesn't fully satisfy his public, who persist. The Doctor then cuts them off: “isn't it a little early to be talking about my future, if you carry on, you'll really break my balls. Let's do this - I'll tell you when I've decided”.
Conversation closed, and we can move on to the more immediate future, while also touching on the recent past. Because, with regard to this 2017 season, Valentino is not “very happy. I've made some good races, one win and 6 podiums, in which I had fun. But we've also struggled on many occasions, suffering too much from a technical point of view - he admits - It's a real pity, because I've never really got on with this bike, while I was competitive with the old one”.
Some say that development of the M1 perhaps suffered without Lorenzo's help. Valentino has his own opinion.
“Jorge left on the Sunday after the Valencia race and I rode the bike for the first time on the Tuesday, so it was already ready. So it was a coincidence. I had trouble while Vinales was really strong, perhaps if Lorenzo had still been there he would have agreed with me”.
We can't change the past though, while the future still has to be written. The Doctor is simply focusing on the next race right now: “because Valencia is always a challenge for me, the track where I suffer most. But in the last two races I've been quick in the dry”.
A new and significant period will get underway for Yamaha come Tuesday.
“The winter will definitely be more important for us than for Honda or Ducati, because we're playing catch-up. These tests at Valencia will be important, also those at Sepang a few days later and then the February tests”.
Where will we see the definitive 2018 M1? On Tuesday they'll only test the new engine, “which is already ready and so it's only right that we start work on that. But I know our problem doesn't lie there, but in the frame. That will take time, I won't test it before next year. But I'm confident, we're talking about Yamaha, and they know how to build bikes”.
As for this season, there's nothing to be done about it now, and Valentino is left to watch the final Dovizioso-Marquez battle play out. Asked for an opinion, he quickly refutes any parallels with 2015: “something went on in those last races that had never happened before and never will again. It was almost a done deal that time”.
He ends by talking about this final showdown: “it will be difficult for Dovi, but this is the year of surprises. On paper, it's practically a mission impossible for him, both in terms of the 21-point disadvantage and the fact that Andrea normally struggles here while Marc is strong. In theory, it's already done, but when it comes down a single shot, there's always a lot of tension and anything can happen”.
