With Ducati, the Yamaha manufacturer is ranked among the favorites for the first two Grands Prix of the 2021 MotoGP season. And for good reason: they will take place on the same track where three M1s ranked among the first four in the combined rankings of the off-season tests which took place at… Losail. Although only eleventh and saying he is 85% ready since deprived of a simulated race that he was hoping for on a Friday disrupted by a sandstorm, Valentino Rossi knows that he has a bike to do well. At least near Doha. Because for the rest, it's another story...
Valentino Rossi finished his offseason with plenty of positive vibes: “ I feel very comfortable in my new team and I get along very well with all the new people here ", said the Doctor. “ I leave Qatar with a good feeling ". He added : " Yamaha worked a lot during the winter and made developments. For example, the new chassis or something new in terms of aerodynamics. They worked smart and that's important. The balance of the bike is now very good and the last two days we were able to improve the grip and my feeling ».
Certainly, but Vale also has enough experience not to take the results of these tests at face value. These are only valid for the moment and in no way predict the future of events. He says thus: “ I'm not convinced of anything. Qatar is basically not a track where you have good grip, but it's not bad either. This is a track where Yamaha generally does well. You will have to wait and see, for example in Portugal immediately afterwards, on a completely different route, but also in Jerez and everywhere else. So I can't say whether we've really made progress. But I don't think anyone can say that now. You really have to see it as it goes. ».
Likewise, in addition to the intrinsic quality of the Yamaha , there will be other parameters to manage and to which we will have to adapt. Thus, at Qatar, the Dunlop abrasion of the category Moto2 could cause surprises. “ Yes, absolutely » confirmed Vale. “ You should always expect surprises. In the MotoGP today, with Michelin tires, everything can change from warm-up to the race. Even if you did a simulated race, even if you had four days of testing… This can change not only from testing to racing, but also from Saturday to Sunday ».
« Maybe that's what's great about sports », Analyzes the nine-time World Champion. “ You can never be sure until you are on the track for the race. I have to say that the last time we had a race in Qatar, in 2019, it was a fantastic race. I just looked at it again: wonderful, like in Moto3 with ten or twelve riders lined up like on parade. I hope it's another race like this. And I hope I'll be high in the group ».
Valentino Rossi's teammate has his own method
Uncertainty therefore seems fatal. To manage, you have to consider all scenarios and this is precisely the strategy that his teammate seems to have favored. Franco Morbidelli, equipped with an “A-Spec” version of the M1 and with the experienced chief engineer Ramón Forcada by his side : " we're not just trying out a set-up, but a menu of possible set-ups and changes that we can fall back on, depending on conditions and grip level “, declared “Franky” on the sidelines of the Tests of Qatar.
« Because it is important to have a good rhythm. But it's also important to know what to do when you encounter certain conditions on the trail. A race weekend is quite short. If you know in advance, you can react faster and be faster faster » ends the Italian-Brazilian. These two Grand Prix Qatar look decidedly exciting...
