This post-race press conference of the German Grand Prix brought together Marc Marquez (see here), Valentino Rossi and Maverick Vinales.
As usual, we report here our translation of the entirety of the words of Valentino Rossi, without journalistic formatting or distortion.
Valentino Rossi : “I am satisfied with this race because it is not only my best result of the season, but it is also my best race. I had a very good start and it was very important to try to overtake someone because I was 6th. Then I drove well for the 30 laps trying to preserve the tire. I was always in the right place at the right time and was able to pass without making a mistake. Looking at the tests, I think Márquez was the fastest, but also Lorenzo and Dovizioso. So at the start, when I had Márquez and Lorenzo in front, I tried to stay as close as possible without stressing the tire too much. And it was good, it was the right way to race. I am happy, for me and for my team, because we worked hard. I worked very hard during these 10 days to achieve this result. It's also good for Yamaha, because they put two bikes on the podium, here at the Sachsenring, which on paper is not the best circuit for me and for the M1. It’s a very good result.”
You are always very good on Sundays. Did you find anything yesterday or this morning?
“We worked hard in some important areas and I knew 17th on Friday wasn't my place because we had tried something to improve acceleration but it didn't work. But yesterday's 6th place more or less corresponded to my pace. So this morning, during the Warm Up, things weren't going so bad and I did some good laps, but I was P9 (laughs), so the level here is really very high. You really have a lot of different bikes and different riders that can be fast. But during the race it's different: you have to be strong in other areas. So I tried to concentrate a lot and I was ready today, especially after my brother Luca's podium in Moto2. I must congratulate him greatly and I am very proud and very happy for him. And he gave me extra power and motivation to try to do the same thing.”
During the first rounds, you attacked Marc. Did you feel faster?
“During the first 2 or 3 laps I felt really comfortable and I knew I could attack. I wanted to try to overtake Marc, but unfortunately I was strong, but not strong enough. And anyway, I was already in the right place. It was good because I was in the first group, behind Marc. Jorge was in front, but not in the usual way he gushes. I tried to stay focused, especially with Petrucci because I know he is fast. But maybe I could go a little faster, and that was my strategy. But of course, if I could have done it, I would have tried to overtake, but it wasn't enough.
Does the fact that there are two Yamahas on the podium mean that you have found something and that you are in the right direction to start the second part of the season?
“Lately we have found something, especially regarding the balance of the bike. We can manage it better. In fact, Maverick and I are stronger, and we are 2nd and 3rd in the championship. But in my opinion, we need a little help from Japan to improve the electronics in acceleration. The season is very long and I am attacking with all my strength, and I hope for help from Japan.”
We know that you have a deficit in electronics. Now, on this track you are inclined for a very long time and Traction Control must be very important here. How do you deal with this?
“In my opinion, for example compared to the Ducati, our bike is much better in the corners. Especially this year's bike. We can pass faster than them. So they have an impressive advantage in acceleration, but it's not enough on a circuit like this. In my opinion, this is the reason. But if I had to state one area where we need to improve our bike, I would clearly say it is this.”
At the end of the race you mentioned Jonas Folger (see here). Did you watch his race last year and study his data?
" Yes ! For me, Folger's race last year was very important. First of all mentally, because I remembered that I arrived here last year and that I was not comfortable with the bike. I wasn't strong enough. But last year, Folger didn't know that it was a difficult track for the Yamahas (laughs), and he had a fantastic race, on par with Marc. He stayed there and he fought, so I studied everything about Folger: his whole race, all his lines, how he rode his bike, how he set up his bike, and everything else. . And I think Folger's run last year was a good help for me, so I think I should give him the trophy (laughs).”
What is more important today: your podium or that of your brother Luca?
“Of course, his podium is something special since it's the first time. I tried to help my brother a lot during his career and I feel very involved, also because I pushed him to move early to Moto2 since he is very tall. He is taller than me. He wanted to continue in Moto3 because maybe he didn't have enough confidence to ride a Moto2. So that was good advice for him. He suffered a lot because he dislocated his shoulder again after Qatar. He suffered a lot but he worked well, and I am very happy and very proud.”
Standings for the MotoGP German Grand Prix at Sachsenring:
| Pos | number | Pile | Motorcycle | Difference |
| 1 | 93 | Marc Márquez | Honda | 41'05.019 |
| 2 | 46 | Valentino ROSSI | Yamaha | +2.196 |
| 3 | 25 | Maverick VIÑALES | Yamaha | +2.776 |
| 4 | 9 | Danilo PETRUCCI | Ducati | +3.376 |
| 5 | 19 | Alvaro BAUTISTA | Ducati | +5.183 |
| 6 | 99 | Jorge Lorenzo | Ducati | +5.780 |
| 7 | 4 | Andrea Dovizioso | Ducati | +7.941 |
| 8 | 26 | Dani PEDROSA | Honda | +12.711 |
| 9 | 5 | johann zarco | Yamaha | +14.428 |
| 10 | 38 | Bradley SMITH | KTM | +21.474 |
| 11 | 55 | Hafiz Syahrin | Yamaha | +25.809 |
| 12 | 29 | Andrea Iannone | Suzuki | +25.963 |
| 13 | 53 | Tito RABAT | Ducati | +29.040 |
| 14 | 43 | Jack Miller | Ducati | +29.325 |
| 15 | 45 | Scott REDDING | Aprilia | +34.123 |
| 16 | 6 | Stefan BRADL | Honda | +38.207 |
| 17 | 12 | Thomas LUTHI | Honda | +49.369 |
| 18 | 17 | Karel ABRAHAM | Ducati | + 1'01.022 |
| 19 | 10 | Xavier SIMEON | Ducati | + 1'16.692 |
| Unclassified | ||||
| 35 | Cal Crutchlow | Honda | 21 Tours | |
| 30 | Takaaki NAKAGAMI | Honda | 26 Tours | |
| No Finished the 1st Round | ||||
| 42 | Alex Rins | Suzuki | 0 Tour | |
| 44 | Pol Espargaró | KTM | 0 Tour |
Photo credit : MotoGP.com
