This time it didn't work. Since the start of this season, Valentino Rossi's journey has been characterized by complicated tests and a positive race punctuated by a podium. In Austin, all the indicators were green but, as if taking the average, in Jerez this weekend, everything went wrong. Overall, a modest tenth position, certainly, but essential to keep the lead in the championship. It's always this.
The disillusionment was great for Yamaha in Jerez who thought they would come and get the 500 there.e success of its history while removing the 3e Grand Prix organized since 1949. And for good reason: Yamaha has triumphed seven times on this track where the brand remained undefeated for two years. But from the start of Friday, we had to become disillusioned. And hand over weapons to Honda.
Qualified seventh, Valentino Rossi was counting on the warm-up to finally find the solution to his problems. The ace ! Ninth beat. So a gamble was taken. And he was lost: “ this weekend was difficult and the race was no less difficult. We had every possible problem. We thought we would be much more competitive, especially considering previous years. ". Including last year, where the Doctor dominated his subject on the same route.
« We lacked grip from the start. And this problem followed us throughout the weekend. We changed the balance of the bike during the warm-up and we did the same for the race. We were worried about the lifespan of the medium rear tire but we couldn't choose the hard one. We chose a solution that would cause us to slip the least and in fact, we made things worse. Considering the result, it's obvious, we were wrong ».
He explains his ordeal: “ for the last six or seven laps I was the slowest driver on the track. I was riding three seconds slower than my first times. I had pretty strong vibrations. I'm lucky to score these six points. Tomorrow we have tests here and we need to understand what went wrong over three days and find the solutions that will be useful for Le Mans in two weeks ».
« I never had any grip. It's as if we were suffering from something fundamental because we changed a lot of things on the bike without the slightest result. Last year we won and this year we suffered more than the others » And in fact, in the race, the official Ducatis finished in front, in addition to the Hondas while the best classified Yamaha is fourth with a Johann zarco riding the M1 2016 version… Casa Particular in Viñales is sixth and Folger, on the other Yamaha Tech3, ninth in front of the Doctor…
#SpanishGP Race: MotoGP Ranking
1. Dani Pedrosa ESP Repsol Honda Team (RC213V) 45m 26.827s
2. Marc Marquez ESP Repsol Honda Team (RC213V) 45m 32.963s
3. Jorge Lorenzo ESP Ducati Team (Desmosedici GP17)
45m 41.594s
4. Johann zarco ENG Monster Yamaha Tech 3 (YZR-M1)*
45m 44.428s
5. Andrea Dovizioso ITA Ducati Team (Desmosedici GP17) 45m 49.740s
6. Maverick Vinales ESP Movistar Yamaha MotoGP (YZR-M1) 45m 51.383s
7. Danilo Petrucci ITA Octo Pramac Racing (Desmosedici GP17) 45m 51.786s
8. Jonas Folger GER Monster Yamaha Tech 3 (YZR-M1)*
45m 54.548s
9. Alex Espargaro ESP Factory Aprilia Gresini (RS-GP) 45m 58.060s
10.
Valentino Rossi ITA Movistar Yamaha MotoGP (YZR-M1)
46m 5.509s
11. Scott Redding GBR Octo Pramac Racing (Desmosedici GP16) 46m 7.806s
12. Hector Barbera ESP Reale Avintia Racing (Desmosedici GP16) 46m 10.026s
13. Loris Baz FRA Reale Avintia Racing (Desmosedici GP15) 46m 10.038s
14. Bradley Smith GBR Red Bull KTM Factory Racing (RC16) 46m 14.791s
15. Karel Abraham CZE Pull&Bear Aspar Team (Desmosedici GP15) 46m 18.106s
16. Sam Lowes GBR Factory Aprilia Gresini (RS-GP)*
46m 35.712s
17. Takuya Tsuda JPN Team Suzuki Ecstar (GSX-RR)
46m 54.277s
Andrea Iannone ITA Team Suzuki Ecstar (GSX-RR)
DNF
Tito Rabat ESP Estrella Galicia 0,0 Marc VDS (RC213V)
DNF
Cal Crutchlow GBR LCR Honda (RC213V) DNF
Jack Miller AUS Estrella Galicia 0,0 Marc VDS (RC213V)
DNF
Alvaro Bautista ESP Pull&Bear Aspar Team (Desmosedici GP16) DNF
Espargaro Pol ESP Red Bull KTM Factory Racing (RC16)
DNF
