MotoGP, Rossi: “I hope I don't find myself in the same situation as a year ago”

Termas de Rio Hondo, a track that holds mixed memories for Valentino Rossi. While on the one hand, we remember a triumphant Doctor wearing the shirt of Diego Armando Maradona, on the other hand it's hard to forget his Yamaha in the grass after making contact with Marquez last year, something that led to controversy.

What's done is done though and now we can only focus on the present, #46 fresh from a fifth-place finish at Losail: “I enjoyed the race in Qatar, but now we focus on Argentina. First of all, we hope we’ll have good track conditions at the circuit this weekend, because that’s always crucial. Second of all, we hope we’ll have good weather this year."

Valentino also touches on last year's race: “Last year’s race was incredibly tricky, riding on a half-wet, half-dry surface - it was very difficult to ride the bike with slicks over the wet patches. We hope we won’t have to repeat that, and we will see if we’re strong. I'll do my best to fight for the podium.”

Yamaha also needs to understand the level of Maverick Vinales's M1: "We did a good job in Qatar, during all the weekend, despite what the result of the race suggests, so now we're looking forward to this week's Grand Prix in Argentina.

His performance at Losail may not have met with expectation but Maverick knows what to do at the South American track: “This season we're going to take it race-by-race, trying to improve every day. I can’t wait to ride at Termas de Río Hondo again - I know what it's like to win there. I hope to have the same feeling again this year and be able to fight for the victory."