In a difficult weekend for the Italian, Valentino Rossi managed to cross the finish line in 15th position, far from the second place achieved the last time the MotoGP World Championship visited Austin , a fact that highlights the drop in performance experienced in that period by the legendary runner, who is rushing his last races before finally hanging up his overalls at the end of the season.
Rossi started penultimate (20th) on the grid, but managed to climb up positions after opting to mount the medium rear tire, the only one on the entire grid, along with Brad Binder.
“It was one of the most difficult races of my life from a physical point of view, because this track is very demanding, it was also very hot and there are many potholes, so it was very difficult,” Valentino summed up on Sunday night from Austin.
A fifteenth position that earned him a point in his locker, but above all it gave him some good feelings, something that has been scarce in recent times.
“In the end it was also a good race if we look at my pace, because he was on the medium tire and I managed to be consistent until the end, managing to complete several overtakes. The problem is that I wasn’t competitive enough, but relative to my speed, it wasn’t a bad race.”
While almost the entire grid opted for the rear soft rubber, Rossi decided to explore other options.
“I used the medium because during training I felt more comfortable with it. In the morning I also tried the soft one in the Warm Up, but I was slow and I didn’t like it too much. We decided to continue on our way, although only Binder and I used that compound, but it was the right choice, because I was able to keep a constant pace and take a little point home”, he valued his decision.
The World Championship now returns to Europe to face the last three stops of the course, Misano, Portimao and Valencia, where Rossi will put the end to a legendary race.
“Now I will rest for a couple of days, then I will have to train hard to face the last three races, because in Austin it has been very hard from a physical point of view. To perform at your best you have to be 100% and be very young. The first part I can try, the second is already very difficult for me. In any case, I will try to train more intensely, ”said the 42-year-old runner with a laugh.
The Moto3 race, a Russian roulette
How could it be otherwise, they asked Valentino for his opinion on the dramatic accident in the Moto3 race and the subsequent two-race sanction for the young Turkish rider Deniz Oncu , who will have to stay home for the next two Grands Prix.
“Personally, I think it was a mistake to restart the Moto3 race in the sprint with only five laps, because it turned into Russian roulette. They should have tried to move Salac (whose crash caused the red flag) faster and not stop the first race, because a second start is very dangerous. Moto3 riders are already out of control in a normal race, so imagine one to just five laps.
Oncu got caught up in Jeremy Alcoba ‘s wheel and caused a multiple accident involving several riders, including Pedro Acosta and Andrea Migno , for which he was severely punished.
“The penalty is correct, because with this precedent a driver will think better of it before doing something like that again. They had to do something, and leaving him at home for two races was the minimum. It is right to take serious action, because the situation is out of control and in the end the dangerous drivers are always the same. If you see a Moto3 race, you know who they are, so the stewards should also focus on that: two penalty races, and if they repeat, five, because you have to try to educate those who always cause these accidents.
Valentino was especially sensitive about what happened, probably because one of his boys from the VR46 Academy was involved in the fall.
“Oncu overtook down the straight even though he knew he had a driver right behind him, which led to a potentially fatal accident. It scared me a lot, especially since Migno was also involved, but Acosta also did an incredible flight against the barriers, we were very lucky that everyone is okay.
“The situation must change before something serious happens, so it is fair that those who make mistakes stay at home. Motorcycling is already dangerous in itself, so young riders must understand that you have to respect your own safety and that of your opponents, which is more important than winning. On the other hand, these guys drive like crazy, because from a young age they are taught to put the rival in a difficult position”, settled #46 very critically.
Click the image to see the best photos of Valentino Rossi in Austin
