This Friday started in the rain for a Valentino Rossi who then received like a cold shower. Income from the Le Mans tests, also wet with the smile, the first laps at Jerez in the wet were tricky. A problem which then continued on the dry asphalt in the afternoon. A scenario which reminds him of the first two Grands Prix and once again gives him nostalgia for the 2016 version of the Yamaha…
Things are just getting started at Jerez, but Valentino Rossi would have liked to find a better dynamic from the start. However, once again, it will be necessary to study everything, to sift through the smallest data to get out of this twelfth place overall. That said, Marc Marquez is fourteenth and therefore behind him. But that doesn't mean we should ignore Hondas. Quite the contrary: there are three ahead!
A situation that the Doctor underlines: “ this day was difficult. The arrival of the rain this morning did not disappoint me because we need to do some laps on wet tracks with the new Yamaha. And it didn't go well. We suffered. In 2016 the bike was easy in the rain. We need to improve because we encounter the same problems in the dry: we can't take the turns fast enough."
« We also skate a lot on outings. It's difficult to accelerate. In the afternoon, I was wary because there were still patches of humidity. Then I had adjustment problems. I'm only twelfth. The next two days should be sunny. But the performance of the Hondas today should give us pause. In 2016 I was fast in the rain and the Hondas struggled, this year it seems like it's the opposite. Last year, with the old chassis, I had three dream days. We struggle to find balance. We need time to understand the bike ».
With six points ahead of his teammate Casa Particular in Viñales, Valentino Rossi arrives as championship leader for this Spanish Grand Prix which could mark the 500rd success of Yamaha.
#SpanishGP J.1: MotoGP Chronos
1. Dani Pedrosa ESP Repsol Honda Team (RC213V) 1m 39.420s [Lap 17/20] 286km/h (Top Speed)
2. Jack Miller AUS Estrella Galicia 0,0 Marc VDS (RC213V) 1m 39.964s +0.544s [18/20] 284km/h
3. Cal Crutchlow GBR LCR Honda (RC213V) 1m 40.045s +0.625s [16/19] 285km/h
4. Jorge Lorenzo ESP Ducati Team (Desmosedici GP17)
1m 40.291s +0.871s [17/20] 289km/h
5. Danilo Petrucci ITA Octo Pramac Racing (Desmosedici GP17) 1m 40.378s +0.958s [18/19] 287km/h
6. Maverick Vinales ESP Movistar Yamaha MotoGP (YZR-M1) 1m 40.379s +0.959s [16/16] 284km/h
7. Alvaro Bautista ESP Pull&Bear Aspar Team (Desmosedici GP16) 1m 40.392s +0.972s [19/21] 288km/h
8. Andrea Dovizioso ITA Ducati Team (Desmosedici GP17) 1m 40.428s +1.008s [16/18] 289km/h
9. Alex Espargaro ESP Factory Aprilia Gresini (RS-GP) 1m 40.479s +1.059s [17/17] 283km/h
10. Espargaro Pol ESP Red Bull KTM Factory Racing (RC16) 1m 40.573s +1.153s [15/15] 287km/h
11. Scott Redding GBR Octo Pramac Racing (Desmosedici GP16) 1m 40.639s +1.219s [17/19] 286km/h
12. Valentino Rossi ITA Movistar Yamaha MotoGP (YZR-M1) 1m 40.698s +1.278s [20/20] 286km/h
13. Jonas Folger GER Monster Yamaha Tech 3 (YZR-M1)*
1m 40.773s +1.353s [20/20] 286km/h
14. Marc Marquez ESP Repsol Honda Team (RC213V) 1m 40.915s +1.495s [18/19] 284km/h
15. Johann zarco ENG Monster Yamaha Tech 3 (YZR-M1)*
1m 41.019s +1.599s [17/17] 286km/h
16. Andrea Iannone ITA Team Suzuki Ecstar (GSX-RR)
1m 41.165s +1.745s [18/19] 285km/h
17. Tito Rabat ESP Estrella Galicia 0,0 Marc VDS (RC213V) 1m 41.165s +1.745s [19/20] 282km/h
18. Bradley Smith GBR Red Bull KTM Factory Racing (RC16) 1m 41.432s +2.012s [20/20] 284km/h
19. Takuya Tsuda JPN Team Suzuki Ecstar (GSX-RR)
1m 41.887s +2.467s [18/19] 281km/h
20. Sam Lowes GBR Factory Aprilia Gresini (RS-GP)*
1m 41.905s +2.485s [16/18] 282km/h
21. Karel Abraham CZE Pull&Bear Aspar Team (Desmosedici GP15) 1m 41.909s +2.489s [14/16] 286km/h
22. Loris Baz FRA Reale Avintia Racing (Desmosedici GP15) 1m 42.515s +3.095s [10/19] 280km/h
23. Hector Barbera ESP Reale Avintia Racing (Desmosedici GP16) 1m 42.630s +3.210s [17/17] 289km/h
