It is a confident Valentino Rossi who completes this first day of the Spanish Grand Prix in Jerez. Enough to give him comfort after his disappointment in Texas where he experienced the pangs of a fall for the first time since Aragon 2014. Here he is certainly fifth this Friday, but we will remember that a year ago, he was thirteenth at the same stage of the competition.
The progress is therefore obvious and it is all the more appreciable as the timers were aligned with worn tires, a way to clearly understand what awaits the drivers this Sunday with the new Michelins: “ I have never used new tires in order to understand my rhythm after 15 or 20 laps. Here, wear is certain, especially at the rear. The tire slips a lot, but despite that, the sensations are good and the pace is good ».
And then we didn't put our eggs in the same basket at Yamaha. Although heading towards competition, Jorge Lorenzo has tried the new tank and the Doctor will diagnose the data from this experiment to give his prescription to the team: “ I will then see tomorrow if we test it and in particular if it can reduce this rear wheel slippage which is one of the characteristics of Jerez. With the Bridgestones last year, it was the same. But I already feel good on the bike, it's much better than last year when I struggled to find the right balance. This time, we are strong from the start. Lorenzo and Márquez are the ones with the fastest set so far, but we're not far away ».
On Michelin’s choice regarding allocation, Vale specifies: “ the hardest is not good for traction, but safety must take precedence so I agree with these choices of the manufacturer". And the fins? “ I know that this is the subject of discussions between manufacturers to continue with it or not. As far as I'm concerned, I'm open, although I would prefer without. Now the spoilers help keep the front end on the ground during acceleration and through tight corners. I rode without it in the morning and with it in the afternoon and I will continue with it because they bring a little extra ". Last year, the one who is now 33 points behind in the championship finished third in the Spanish Grand Prix, without ever being able to compete with the Spanish pair Lorenzo-Márquez.
