Since the Motegi which ended with a fall, Valentino Rossi knows that he has nothing more to hope for this 2017 MotoGP season. Mathematically out of the title race which still concerns his teammate Viñales a little, the Doctor will now concentrate on diagnosing a Yamaha that is not in good shape. This is in order to finish this campaign as best as possible, while laying the groundwork for 2018. And, listening to him, the matter is serious.
A long-term job which will, moreover, have to be done at Phillip Island with a body sore from his accident at Motegi: “ It's not my operated leg that's causing me problems, but rather a shoulder. I hope it won't bother me too much once I'm on the bike. ". Because Vale will have to do tricks to find the remedy for the ills of an M1 which has regressed throughout this season, while its competitors progressed.
« Last year, in Australia, I had a good race. On the other hand, during the winter tests, I was very slow. This season, we suffered a lot during certain Grands Prix where we were unable to resolve our problems. The latest is Japan. It was in the same vein as Barcelona and Spain. On these slopes, from Friday to Sunday, we were unable to find the solutions. It's like we're missing something. In any case, we work and we remain optimistic, but it's getting harder and harder ».
« We need to work the rear tire well. We are focusing on this by refining the settings and weight distribution. That's all we can do because we won't have any new parts. I am in constant contact with Japanese engineers. We are working for the end of the season, the Grands Prix which are coming, but also for 2018 ».
For this weekend, Red comments: “ Phillip Island is a route as beautiful as it is demanding, which must be approached with great self-confidence. The weather there is unpredictable. In one day, you can have all four seasons. This time, it seems that the cold is promised to us. And I hope that most of the time the track will be dry, because in the wet our problems get worse. Physically, it will be less hard than at Motegi ».
Finally, on the duel between Dovizioso à Márquez, the man from Tavullia specifies: “ The gap is small between the two of them. Dovi is growing, he is driving really well, and he will have surprised me this season. And not only from Motegi ».
