Explains appeal
Yamaha Motor Racing Managing Director Jarvis explains Rossi’s appeal.
Our job as a team is to protect the interests of our riders, so while we cannot deny that Valentino’s move is not the sort of move that we want to see in MotoGP, at the same time we feel the penalty is quite harsh, especially when Valentino is not normally a dirty rider. He’s not a rider that creates issues or problems for other people. As a team, we appealed to the FIM and the first decision of the race control. They heard him, also consulted race direction, consulted Marc Marquez and Honda, and finally after a period of 45 minutes we have the results of the appeal, which was rejected. The original penalty of three points against Valentino stands, and in the process of appealing, if the FIM steward rejects your appeal and agrees with the original decision, it is no longer appealable – it becomes final. It’s case closed. That means now that Valentino Rossi will go to Valencia with this penalty.
If anything, knowing him [Rossi], this will probably make him more motivated to come back and to try to do another memorable season like this. And the championship isn’t over – you have to keep that in mind. He has a seven-point lead, and while he’s at a massive disadvantage starting from the back, in racing anything can happen. You never know if he can salvage something. Anything can happen.
Comments on penalty
Rossi comments on his penalty to the Italian media.
The sanction is almost definitive: to start last in Valencia equals not having any chance of making it. This way the championship is distorted. I gave everything to win this title. Losing it on track is one thing, this way hurts a lot more. Should it help, Marquez would let Lorenzo through on the last lap [at Valencia].
He also says he may not race at Valencia, but that comment is played down by Yamaha.
Will race in Valencia
Rossi tweets that he will race in Valencia.
Reading all your messages has allowed me to overcome my bitterness and anger and today, we’ll be starting work on Valencia! Thanks for all your support.
Grazie a tutti per il fantastico supporto,leggervi mi ha aiutato a superare amarezza e incazzatura.
Da oggi si lavora per Valencia.— Valentino Rossi (@ValeYellow46) October 27, 2015
Honda: Data shows Rossi Kicked Marquez
Nakamoto says that, while video evidence is inconclusive, data from Marquez bike shows that Rossi kicked Marquez.
First of all, we would like to state that we believe it is very important to speak about the facts, not about assumptions. A fact is a fact and there is only one interpretation…It is clear that Valentino intentionally pushed Marc towards the outside of the track, which is out of the rules, therefore Marc had no other option other than to run wide. The data from Marc’s bike shows that even though he was picking up the bike trying to avoid contact with Valentino, his front brake lever suddenly received an impact that locked the front tyre, which is the reason for his crash. We believe that this pressure was a result of Rossi’s kick. The data acquisition from Marc’s bike is available if anybody from Dorna, the FIM or media want to check.
I know Marc well. He is a good guy, with strong and honest values. Marc was just trying to defend his position, as any rider would do, and we believe him 100%.
We respect the decision of Race Direction and don’t want to pass judgement if the penalty they administered was right or wrong. However, we do believe there was enough evidence to allow them to take a decision during the race, it was not necessary to wait until the end.
Marquez: ‘I have never felt like this’
Marquez says he has never experienced anything like his recent troubles with Rossi.
During my career I have had many battles, but I never have I felt this. On that corner Valentino passed me, but then I saw he was completely straight and looking at me and stopping a lot. I was just waiting because there was nothing to do at that point and then I saw with his leg he pushed my arm and my front brake, and then I locked the front wheel and crashed.
In response to the accusation of deliberately interfering in the title battle in recent races:
You know I don’t want to be involved more in the championship. Valentino surprised everybody [with his comments], but I didn’t consider that because I just did my weekend [at Phillip Island]. Of course we can fight, we can overtake, we can have small contact, but in [Malaysia] until that moment we never had contact. I don’t know how inside the helmet you can think to push out another rider with your leg. I’ve never seen that. OK, I am very young, but I am disappointed.
Yamaha: Rossi did not kick Marquez
Yamaha issues a statement refuting claims made by Honda that Rossi kicked Marquez.
Yamaha would like to express its disagreement with the words that have been used to report on the incident between riders Valentino Rossi and Marc Marquez. Both press releases included words that accuse Valentino Rossi of kicking Marc Marquez‘s bike that is something not proven by the investigation of the Race Direction.We therefore reject the wording used in the said published statements that do not correspond with the findings of the Race Direction. Yamaha has no wish to enter into further discussion regarding this unfortunate affair and our desire is to conclude the 2015 MotoGP season in the best possible way. We go to Valencia with the clear intention of trying our best to win what we hope will be a memorable final race with all riders and teams competing in an exemplary sportsmanlike manner befitting the top category of motorcycle racing.
Relaxed, happy with practice
After coming fifth in FP1 and fourth in FP2, Rossi says he is relaxed about Valencia practice.
I’m not working any differently; we did something very similar to what we always do. I’m very relaxed and I’m quite happy with today’s two practice sessions because my pace in the morning wasn’t bad and I was pretty competitive with the used tyres. I’m also pleased that in the afternoon we tried something different that allowed me to up the pace and improve my lap times. I used the hard tyres, which wasn’t so bad, and after I tried the soft to make a comparison and make the right choice for Sunday. If we do a good job with the set-up that could make things less difficult, but Valencia is a tough track for making up ground because it’s pretty narrow. On top of that, we’re not especially quick on the straights, our top speed isn’t that high, so we have to work hard in other areas, like the braking, to get the set-up right…The start is vital in MotoGP. It accounts for, say, 80% of the race, but Sunday will be a bit different for me, because I’ll have traffic ahead of me and I’ll have to have the energy and momentum to keep up the pace from beginning to end.
Valencia Test Day 1
Rossi tests out the 2016 Yamaha M1 with new electronics and Michelin tires at Valencia. His best time of 1’32.401 puts him in twelfth place.
It‘s a big change and it will be interesting, especially the tyre will make a big difference for next year. A lot changed, especially the setting, the weight distribution of the bike and everything. It looks like our competitors are a little ahead, because they‘ve made more kilometres with the Michelin, but it‘s just the first day. I also tried the new electronics and also that, as I expected, was quite a big step because it‘s like going a little bit into the past. However, that too could be interesting and it‘s only the first day, we have a lot to work on. The rear tyre is very similar and Michelin is good, it has very good grip. The front is the big difference.
Valencia Test Day 2
Rossi ends the two-day Valencia test in seventh overall after adjusting the settings of his bikes to match the Michelin tyres. He clocks a personal best lap of 1’31.498 on lap 57.
The second day, for us, was quite positive. It was a long day, I did a lot of laps and I tried to improve my feeling with the new tyres. I‘m quite happy because in the afternoon my lap times were not so bad. I did long runs to understand the tyres and I was always quite fast. We improved the bike a lot compared to yesterday and the tyres, especially the front gave a better feedback and this is the most important. We also worked a little bit on the electronics systems for next year, which has already improved a lot compared to yesterday, but we still have work to do.
Losing championship ‘hurt’
Speaking to italian reporters, Rossi says that it will take months to get over his World Championship loss.
Honestly on Sunday after the race it hurt but it’s a different situation as there is lots of adrenaline. On Monday instead it was tough and yesterday [Tuesday], too, it was quite a struggle. Today [Wednesday] it has been a bit better, but it’s something, a situation, that will take months to – not forget it, because you’ll never forget it – but to come to terms with.
He also questions Honda cancelling its press conference:
I’m curious to see Honda’s telemetry. Oh, they haven’t shown it? Strange! I’d like to figure out how they think they can demonstrate through telemetry that I had kicked him. This is something you should ask them. Poor guys, they wanted to show it but for the good of motorcycle racing they won’t…
Suppo: Marquez crazy not to beat Jorge
Repsol Honda team principal, Livio Suppo, comments on how Marquez should deal with the situation.
Go on holiday and relax. I think there’s nothing really we can add, especially Marc. If people believe him we are happy, if they don’t I think ‘time is a gentleman’ [an Italian phrase that can mean ‘time is a healer’ or ‘the truth will come out’]. I’m just so sad for what happened on Sunday [at Valencia] because I know that Marc really wanted to win this race. And when I saw him in parc ferme, I’ve never seen him so disappointed. Because he is a clever guy – you must be stupid to do deliberately what happened on Sunday…If you think seriously, with no pressure, you understand that it is crazy for Marc not trying to beat Jorge. Even if Marc finished in front of Jorge with Dani in third, Jorge was still world champion with the same points [as Rossi]. That would probably be even better, because this championship was deserved by both of them [Rossi and Lorenzo] and it would then have been decided only by different race wins.
He also says he has a lot of respect for Rossi.
I met Valentino coming back from Indy I think, in the lounge at the airport, and I said honestly I have more respect now than I have 10 years ago. Because what he’s done this season – it doesn’t matter if he won the championship or not – has been unbelievable; 36 years old, coming from the 500 and still able to fight with the young guns that are riding in a totally different way. And this year to beat almost all of them and lose the championship by only five points has been really unbelievable. Of course we cannot be happy with the situation that has been created by the words of Valentino, starting from the Sepang press conference. I really hope Valentino will understand that Honda and Marc are not against him. We just try to do our championship and if he thinks differently I’m very sorry, but it’s not like that.
Jarvis: Rossi ‘destroyed’, recovering motivation
Yamaha’s Jarvis says that Rossi was “destroyed” by his situation.
When you put in all this energy and strive for the title every day until the last lap, and then you see the target vanish, you find yourself destroyed. Understandably, Valentino was completely empty. The best thing for him would have been to have months to recover and find a new motivation. But on the second day of testing, he had a different expression; he had rediscovered his enthusiasm. It was what we hoped to see…In [the last] three weeks [of the season], all the MotoGP riders, teams, organisers, came under stress: small cracks have widened dramatically. It’s important that Dorna and the FIM can review and analyse what happened, and then make the necessary changes. If the season starts without finding solutions, without discussing it appropriately, then everything will be very difficult.
Lorenzo expects Rossi relationship to recover
Lorenzo says he expects his relationship with Rossi to recover.
Valentino has been always very clever speaking to the media and sometimes you don’t have completely the reason, but he expressed his opinions. You have to understand it as best as possible. It’s normal that the relationship gets a little bit tenser and especially after Sepang, where he expressed his opinion and I expressed my opinion, the situation did get a little bit more tense. I think the past will forget everything and everything in the future will come again into normality.
He also says he is proud of his win.
It makes me very proud to spend six or seven years finishing in first or second, but it also makes me very proud to be champion, fighting and competing against three generation of champions. Like Marc who is younger, Casey who is the same age as me, and Valentino who is older.
In F1, Rossi ‘would have been disqualified for sure’
Ecclestone says, if it was F1, that Rossi would have been disqualified.
Rossi would have been disqualified for sure. Or he would have been shown the black flag. [The situation between Rossi and Marquez] is a warning for F1. I’ll give you an example: let’s suppose Ferrari is en route for the title and Mercedes block them with one of their customer teams, what would happen then?
On whether Rossi could have switched to F1 (he tested for Ferrari) from MotoGP.
In bikes he was at the top as far as importance and earnings are concerned, while in F1 he would have had to start from scratch. He did the right thing in not switching.
Leads Monza Rally
Rossi ends the second last day of the Monster Energy Monza Rally with a 33.6s lead over the competition at the Italian rally event, which cuts across the Monza national park and the Grand Prix circuit. There are still two final stages remaining on the last day. If Rossi wins, it will be his fourth time to win the event.
Monza is always a great moment and a great way to finish the season because I get great enjoyment from it this year and this year I am in front so I am happy. For a long, long time I’ve returned to this rally because I like this event. You have the thrill of the race but less pressure than in MotoGP so I can enjoy it. I can drive this car which is fantastic. Also in our team we have Brivio and Uccio, so it always good fun.
Marquez hopes Rossi situation will imporve
In an interview with CNN, Marquez, who is hosting a training camp for 20 young riders, says he understands Rossi’s situation:
The relationship with Valentino was really good until Thursday (before) Malaysia. I think there he created so much more of what was not natural, not good for motorcycling…The problem is that too many people start to speak about the situation. (When we arrived) in Valencia, I say ‘Please we need to win the race because if not … he will complain.’ Lorenzo did the fastest lap, the record of the circuit, the record of the total laps … I couldn’t pass him, I couldn’t win; but you know for me the target was to win the race and that was the best way to finish the season.
I already said in Valencia to Valentino, ‘My hand is here,’ and I want the best for motorcycling, and I think the best thing is to be in a good relationship with him. [But] at that moment (in Valencia) he had just lost the championship, and he was really worn. I understand the situation, so I don’t want to think a lot about what he said, but I hope that 2016 will be a new season, a new relationship and (we) try to forget all these things.
‘2015 wasn’t my last chance’
In an interview with Autosport, Rossi is asked about his age:
If you check the history of human beings, between 36 and 37 is not a big difference. Next year I can go more or else at the same pace. But it depends a lot on the motivation, the match of the Yamaha with the Michelins, our work and everything else. Next year will be another story, and I will try as always.
Rossi/Marquez clash data will not be released
FIM and Honda Racing say that data from the Rossi/Marquez clash at Sepang will not be released. The data relates to claims by Honda that Rossi kicked Marquez, causing the Spaniard to fall. FIM President Ippolito:
In MotoGP, the dispute was brought before the CAS and the case is now closed. It is true that at the end of the season the polemics around the Rossi-Marquez case swelled to unprecedented levels. For that reason, we asked all the people involved, including the teams, to refrain from engaging in controversy about what happened in Sepang.During the last competition in Valencia, team Honda informed us that they had all the telemetry relating to the incident. Now the data are in our hands, and Honda and the FIM have decided together not to release them so as not to fuel further polemics.
Sepang testing: May ditch 2016 Yamaha M1
Rossi thinks the 2016 MotoGP YZR-M1 Yamaha’s setup is now too radical for the Michelin tyres which have improved greatly since the last test at Valencia, preferring a version closer to his 2015 setup. Rossi also has a standard 2015 bike to ride.
One bike is the 2015 and I make some lap for the feeling. And after we have two bike, one more similar to the 2015 and one more modified. Today I concentrate on the bike more similar to the 2015 because of time because we have to work on electronic especially. I try the other one one time and the feeling was not so bad but at this moment I don’t know if it is better. The Michelin has improved already and that bike was for the old Michelin so I don’t know now if we need that bike or not.
Will stay in MotoGP for two more years or none
Rossi says he will continue in MotoGP until the end of 2018 if he elects to race beyond the end of this season.
At the end of 2016 my contract will expire. So I will have to decide whether to continue for another two seasons or not. If I continue, it will be for two seasons as all the contracts are for two years. It will be like 2014 when I said I will look at it after the first few races. You have to look at the first five or six races then start thinking.