Rossi positive after second day at Sepang

Valentino Rossi has remained positive after the second day of testing in Sepang despite slipping from second to fourth in the timing sheets, saying that there’s still more speed to be found from his Yamaha M1 package.

“Today is positive because I did 2.00.4 and I improve from yesterday by close to 0.5s. I stay 0.5s from Marquez and he is very strong and the guy that made the difference because the next few are very close on the lap time and also the pace. We tried to work also with the new tyres and I expect that they are better but in reality we have some problems that we have to fix with our bike.”

“Sincerely I expected to go faster but the bike is like it is a little bit out of balance and it gives us some vibration. It is not a big difference but it is a pity because I expect to go faster and we have to work.”

The Italian former champion also spoke about how impressed he has been with Aleix Espargaro, who took the privateer FTR Yamaha bike to fifth, ahead of number one Yamaha rider Jorge Lorenzo.

“For me it is quite impressive that bike is so fast. It is not just the bike because Espargaro in his career doesn’t win a lot but in the last years he has improved very much. Last year he did great with Aprilia and it looks like he is ready to bring at the limit in MotoGP. And I am worried because maybe Yamaha gave too much of a good bike to them! But it is early and we have to see in a simulation and for me the softer tyre helps a lot for the lap time and the 24-litres. But I think it will be interesting, especially in the qualifying on Saturday if somebody with a MotoGP bike doesn’t make the perfect lap, they could start behind two or three Open bikes.”