Loading...
Loading...
PART 2
Valentino Rossi (VR)
Jorge Lorenzo (JL)
Q. (To JL) After today, do you think you need more time, or is there something else? What is the situation?
A. (JL) I think I need more kilometres because it's been many months without being on the bike, so now we have to
improve a little bit and to be patient.
Q. (To JL) This year Yamaha accepted your request to be more involved in the development of the bike?
A. (JL) Yes this is one new thing that I will have this year. Yamaha will allow me to start saying indications to the
engineers and this is a great motivation for me, it is good for Yamaha for the future and good for me.
Q. (To JL) And this bike is more useful for you, for your style and your feeling?
A. (JL) One of my best gifts is that I am able to easily adapt my riding style top the bike, so for me it's not a problem;
the Yamaha is a winning bike and Valentino is a the first rider to develop the bike, I think he is doing a good job and
I will try to be as fast as I can be with this bike.
Q. (To VR) Tell us something about the new bike and this test.
A. (VR) Yes...I think that now these tests are more important than in the past because now we have just six days to
set the bike like we want and get to the maximum. So we will try to work in the best way. I'm very happy about the
start, firstly because I did a lot of good lap times and secondly because the first touch with the new bike, exactly the
bike we will use in the championship, give me a good feeling. Yamaha make a hard job, especially in two ways. One
way is the chassis, we try to improve the stability of the bike compared to the 2009 edition and already in Valencia
I feel some more good improvement and also here in Sepang we have confirmed that the new frame is good. But,
more than this, because the frame is usually a good point within Yamaha, I was more than a little bit worried about the
new engine. Because in Japan they try to make an engine with a good power but a lot more kilometres and the feeling
with the engine is a bit different but it is good; we're already fast, I do quite a lot of laps today and the power remain
the same. It looks like in Japan they did a lot of good work. Now we need to work more, on the electronic system to
be ready for the first race, but the first part is good.
Q. (To both) Last year we had a lot of complaints from both of you about data sharing. Now Mr Nakajima has
confirmed to us that this year there won't be any. I'd like to know who asked for this from Yamaha first?
A. (VR) Speaking with Yamaha I think Jorge, especially last year and already in 2008, demonstrate great speed and
A good attitude to fix and set the bike. Now he is already two years in the team so everyone agrees that it's possible
for everyone to make their own way. Also Jorge wants to work more on the development, so I think it's right that
everyone does his job alone. But at the end it doesn't change a lot because all the comments between me and Jorge
are quite similar, so it's not a big change.
A. (JL) I don't have anything to comment about this.
Q. (To VR) Now Yamaha has the top three riders and a special rookie. Do you think it will be more difficult to ride in
such conditions next season?
A. (VR) I think that after I arrived in Yamaha in 2004 Yamaha understands very well that the rider is so important to
make good result. Now the competition in Yamaha is very strong. Jorge and I but also Ben Spies who is very fast and
is the world champion of superbike, and also Colin in great shape. So now it's different to in the past. A lot of times
in the past the journalists push a lot on me when another Yamaha arrive in front, but now it's more normal because
three of the top five are on Yamaha, I think it's good especially for Yamaha.
Q. (To Both) Everyone talks about the ‘top four' but there's a few new riders coming in this year. Can you see any of
them stepping up to challenge for wins?
A. (VR) Yes. I think that the first four have a bit more speed at the moment, but it's just the beginning. So, we have
a lot of new riders with a lot of expectation. Especially Spies but also Simoncelli. Then there are some others, like
Dovizioso, who had some problems in 2009 but want to demonstrate how fast they are, so every weekend there will
be others trying to fight with the top four.
A. (JL) Yes I think this year will be more level, even more than last year, because with the new rookies like Barbera,
Spies, Simoncelli and Aoyama, most are world champions and for sure these riders will make some good races.
Q. (To VR) Marco Simoncelli been a good friend of yours, will you be giving him any tips about how to adapt to a
MotoGP bike?
A. (VR) No no! when Marco signed for MotoGP, the tips are finished! I think it's normal! I have a good relationship with
him, we stay quite a lot together at home, we train in the same gym and together with Motocross bike. I have a good
relationship with him and I've seen him growing up to be a world champion, but now he's a rival, like the others.
Q. (To both) A few minutes ago Lin said in his opinion for the future it would be possible to have both of you in the
same team.
A. (VR) I agree, it's possible. In 2009 it was a great fight especially with Jorge, but the relationship outside the track
remained good, so what happens in the future...now it's very early to stay, but it's not impossible for us both to remain
in Yamaha for 2011.
A. (JL) Impossible is nothing, no?
Q. (To VR) I've read that you're building a new house...are you planning a family?
A. (VR) No, no (laughing). The question was about the future and what I know now about the future is that I build a
new house, not what will happen in the track! Before I lived with my mother so...
Q. (To VR) Can you make any comment about the test of Ferrari? After you finished your lap time seemed so fast but
Massa was much faster. Can you explain what happened?
A. (VR) Yes, the test in Barcelona was very good, first because I enjoy a lot. It's difficult to compare with Massa
because he is very fast, but to arrive at this time in Barcelona with that car, that amount of fuel, those tyres...it's a
good lap time. I enjoyed a lot and thank Ferrari for the chance, but I missed the bike and I'm so happy to be back
at my real job, starting for 2010. It looks like it will be a tough season. Jorge looks very strong but also Stoner and
Pedrosa, it will be a hard, hard fight. Harder than in the past years.
Q. (To VR) If you have to leave Yamaha at the end of the year, will we be more likely to see you with the red Ducati
or the red Ferrari?
A. (VR) I have decided to not speak anymore about 2011 because everything I say is good in one way and bad in
another. I simply don't know what will happen.
Q. (To VR) You won six races last year, this year do you think you might not be able to win that many races but still
be champion? What will be most important this year?
A. (VR) First of all I think, I hope, for MotoGP that in 2010 it's possible to see more races like Barcelona last year
or Laguna in 2009, because in the past it was the most positive thing about MotoGP. But in the last few years,
unfortunately, I don't think we have seen enough battles. So everybody hopes that it will come back like four or
five years ago, with closer races and more fighting on the last lap. It's impossible to understand about the number
of victories because we have minimum four riders able to win more than one race. So, it will be important to arrive
always at the end, get points and win when possible.
Q. (To VR) You will be 31 soon...
A. (VR) Very soon! But I think if my body stays the same and the motivation stays the same then it will be possible
to make two or three more years like this in MotoGP. But anyway it depends on my result because, I am Valentino
Rossi, I won a lot of races, a lot of championships and when I understand that I can't do this anymore, I know it's time
to stay at home, work in the garden...!
Q. (To VR) Ten is an important number, for the championships...
A. (VR) Yes, ten is a good number but we have nine so...it's another championship and every one has it's own story.
It's important to work now and be ready in Qatar. Agostini's record...more than a target, it's a dream!
Q. (To Both) These races for you are more sport or more art and show?
A. (VR) Sport
A. (JL) Motorcycles! A different kind of sport.
Q. (To VR) And are burnouts a thing of the past now?
A. (VR) No...difficult now! Valencia
Comments