It is in a position of championship leader, which he himself describes as unexpected, that happens Valentino Rossi in Jerez. A track which will be the scene of a Spanish Grand Prix, the fourth meeting of this MotoGP season. A land of success for the Doctor. Last year, he shone there, but it is also the place of his penultimate recorded achievement. The last one to date was Catalonia in June 2016. So yes, the time has perhaps come for the Doctor to return to victory. Which would also be success number 500 for Yamaha.
Certainly, but it's easier said than done, especially with a formidable Vinales in the Yamaha box and a Márquez who got his health back in Austin. However, things are getting better and better with the new M1 and the Michelin front tire. There is still work to be done, but the nine-time winner is on the right trajectory: “ I never thought I would arrive at Jerez as leader of the general classification » confesses the man from Tavullia. “ I'm very happy about it because we solved a lot of problems encountered during the winter tests, and we were able to do some great races. ».
« However, we still need to progress, that's for sure. This weekend in Jerez will be very important. It's the first European race, and it's a circuit that I really like. We made quite a bit of progress in Austin from the free practice sessions and it will be essential to continue this in Jerez. We are starting to understand how to work with this bike and I am convinced that we will eventually find what we need to win ».
Valentino Rossi has nine victories at Jerez, including seven in the premier category. Last year, he dominated his opponents at Jerez, which had not happened since 2009, what's more by starting from pole position and leading each lap. Finally, the fact that Valentino Rossi leading the provisional ranking upon arriving at Jerez is a first since the end of the 2015 campaign. The Italian is the oldest rider to lead the overall ranking of the premier category since Jack Findlay in 1977 (500cc).
