2017 Motegi GP – Three weeks. the same amount of time elapsed between the enduro injury and the return to Aragon. It’s the same time that divides Valentino Rossi from the Japan GP, the first of the three races in Asia and Oceania. “I will have so many days to work. I will arrive in Motegi with more energy, perhaps not at the maximum, but in good condition also to face 3 consecutive races,” said Rossi at the end of 2017 Aragon GP.
Valentino Rossi
“I have not seen him too tired. There was more disappointment for the rubber that continues to deteriorate too soon.” Matteo Flamigni, his telemeter, said. “I don’t know what percentage give, we can assume that it was 70%.” Maio Meregalli, team manager Yamaha, added. “Surely, after what did see over the weekend, now the recovery will go much faster and although not 100%, it will be very close. Already at the level of resistance Vale amazed me. I honestly didn’t imagine that he could run this way to the end. At this point in Japan, I have fewer doubts about Vale than about Yamaha.”
2017 Motegi GP
Motegi is waiting for Iwata with a lot of excitement, because like Ducati, Yamaha has to stop Marc Marquez in his title race. “It will be a matter of grip. Where there is so much, like Le Mans or Assen, our bike has always gone well.” Flamigni underlines. “But Honda has made a lot of progress, Marc can afford to make mistakes.”
Test
For this reason, considering the delay of 28 points that Maverick Viñales has against his fellow countryman with 100 more to collect, the GP of Japan risks becoming almost a last chance to stay clinging to the World Championship. “One of the last, I don’t think the last.” Meregalli said. “In winter Maverick went very strong in the tests in Australia and Malaysia, Marquez’s resumption is not easy, but we will do everything we can to try it out. If at Motegi the asphalt grip will be as always in the past, we will be competitive until the end. I hope that all the kilometers of our testers will pay there. Also for that reason, we had not designated Nakasuga as a substitute for Valentine in Aragon, these days he was in Motegi”.
Yamaha Team game
Will we see a Yamaha team game? “We have never done so in the past and have not considered it now. concludes Meregalli. “At best we will tell Valentino not to hinder too much Maverick if he needed it“.
