#SanMarinoGP: The press conference

The traditional conference took place this Thursday late afternoon in Misano with guests Andrea Dovizioso, Marc Marquez, Maverick Vinales, Cal Crutchlow, Andrea Iannone and Franco Morbidelli, who were joined by Tito Rabat due to his recent signing with Avintia for 2018.

Andrea Dovizioso:

“Leading the general classification ahead of my Grand Prix in Misano is something special. We didn't expect it, it's a bit unreal. The Championship nevertheless remains open. Unfortunately, Valentino will not be present, which is bad news. He is one less rival for the title, but I think he is very strong and I am convinced that the fight will be fierce between now and the end of the season. Finishing on the podium will be our main goal this weekend. We know that this route is not entirely suitable for our bike. Likewise, the weather promises to be difficult, but the fact remains that we will try to manage the situation in the same way as at Silverstone and we will try to achieve the best result. »

Marc Marquez:

“The Silverstone weekend didn't end in the best way, it's a shame because I felt good throughout the weekend. We are now in Misano and we will try to maintain the same mentality, because I think we are on the right track. We did some testing on this track two weeks ago, which went well. We will therefore try to best understand the conditions to progress session after session. Misano was quite successful for me in the past, I have very good memories there. So we will make sure to get another good result this Sunday. The weather looks unstable unlike Silverstone. It won't be easy, but regardless we will adapt. In the dry as well as in the wet, our level is normally good. »

Maverick Vinales:

“I felt comfortable at Silverstone, especially at the end of the race, I found a good feeling again. Our testing went well here in Misano, especially with the electronics. So I hope to have a decent weekend. It's a shame for Valentino, because he is always fast on this track. It would have been interesting to compare our data to progress, but we will try to reduce the gap in the Championship and it will be crucial to start on the right foot. »

Cal Crutchlow:

“Cooking is sometimes dangerous… I cut myself with a knife. At the time I didn't panic anymore, but the next day I was still bleeding a lot. I then decided to go see a doctor; which sent me to the hospital where they realized that a tendon was severed. So they operated on me and on Tuesday in Barcelona, ​​I was already on the bike in Barcelona. It wasn't easy, but I think it's still doable, we'll see tomorrow. Of course it's disappointing. I expected to be strong after such a good weekend at Silverstone and such good testing at this track. But maybe that won't be a problem who knows. »

Andrea Iannone:

“It's a difficult season for me, but I intend to improve in the last six races. It's difficult to talk about this, because we give our best in order to be more efficient. I'm suffering on the bike, but we never gave up and we're moving forward little by little. We must continue to believe in it. Misano is a special date for me and I hope it will be one of my best weekends. We will have to work for this from day one. We can then assess our potential. »

Franco Morbidelli:

“It’s not over yet. We must persevere and stay focused. The San Marino GP is a special event for me, so I will try to produce a little more effort than usual. I've never been fast at home and I would love to get a place on the podium. It helps me to know what my future has in store for me, I am more serene that way. »

Tito Rabat:

“We are doing a good job this season, we have always been in the points except in three races where we had more difficulty. But at Silverstone, things were much better. I got off to a good start, I was able to overtake a few riders and fight for a new Top 15. First of all, I would like to thank the EG 0,0 Marc VDS team for these two years spent in MotoGP, as well as for the other two in Moto2. But I think it was time for a change. I'm excited to join Reale Avintia Racing and Ducati in 2018, I think it's a great opportunity. Thank you to them for giving me the opportunity to express my potential. All the riders work with the idea of ​​reaching MotoGP, for my part I did everything to stay here. »

Photo © Ducati

source: motogp.com