‘I already like the balance of the bike’ - Valentino Rossi

‘I followed the Ducati of Miller and Bagnaia’ - Nine-time MotoGP champion Valentino Rossi gets first look at the two quickest riders on day one and says Ducati is the team to beat.

Robert Jones

26 Mar 2021

Valentino Rossi, MotoGP, Qatar MotoGP 26 March 2021
© Gold and Goose

Petronas Yamaha rider Valentino Rossi enjoyed a good first day in Qatar with a ninth place finish in both MotoGP free practice sessions.

Securing a top ten finish on the combined times is likely to secure the Italian an automatic Q2 berth, as times are unlikely to improve during tomorrow’s hotter daylight conditions in FP3.

Rossi was only half a second down on the top time set by Jack Miller, but before Saturday has already begun, the talk of tyre choice is already becoming an important one ahead of Sunday’s Grand Prix.

Rossi admits he feels ‘quite good’, but that they still need to focus on some details with tyre choice being the most critical.

"I already like the balance of the bike, and I feel good, but we need to improve some small details," said Rossi.

"Also with the electronics to get the right amount of power, but for me it will be very crucial the tyre choice.

"Because today and tomorrow is going to be very hot and this changes the plan of everybody and the temperature is higher on the race track, but maybe Sunday it is not.

"So I think the tyre choice will be important and for sure the time attack tomorrow to have a good position."

It was a good day for the whole Yamaha camp as all four of their riders made it into the top ten, but Ducati stole the show with three of the four quickest times, and Rossi got the chance to follow the Ducati's.

"I followed the factory Ducati of Miller and Bagnaia,” added Rossi

"The bike accelerates very well, and I think Miller and Bagnaia are in great shape for this season, and I think at the moment they are the strongest team."

There have been rumours surfacing throughout the day that Sunday could see very high winds, potentially causing similar issues for the riders as they encountered on the final day of testing.

Rossi was asked about the potential of a Monday race to which he said: "The forecast now said that Sunday can have strong wind.

"One story is strong wind, another story will very much depend on where the wind arrives.

"The last day in the test was not crazy, but coming from one way it can bring all the sand and I think if the condition is like this the race will be very difficult, but we will understand better Sunday, and I prefer to race Sunday."