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Rossi “has no solution” for front-end issues

MotoGP legend Valentino Rossi has revealed he has no immediate answers to the kind of crash that forced his first retirement from a race in over at year in Austin last Sunday.

Valentino Rossi, Movistar Yamaha MotoGP, Yamaha

Valentino Rossi, Movistar Yamaha MotoGP, Yamaha

Yamaha MotoGP

Valentino Rossi leaves COTA after speaking with Michelin
Valentino Rossi, Yamaha Factory Racing
Valentino Rossi, Movistar Yamaha MotoGP, Yamaha
Valentino Rossi, Movistar Yamaha MotoGP
Valentino Rossi, Yamaha Factory Racing

Rossi crashed out of the Grand Prix of the Americas at Turn 2 on lap three, after his Yamaha M1's front-end folded underneath him in the 150kph, downhill sweeping corner without warning.

Likening the situation to the Pirellis used in World Superbikes, Rossi said teams and Michelin should work to improve the situation – but that the only way he could avoid more crashes in future was to be utterly clinical with his riding style.

“I think I have no solution,” he said. “I think that the tyre will remain like this, and I think Michelin can work, for sure, but especially we have to work on the bikes to improve them.

“Try to make a better match with these tyres. But especially not try to make any mistakes.” 

“If you make a small mistake, you pay”

Rossi pointed out that not all bikes have the same characteristics despite using the same control rubber.

“For sure, the situation is different for us [than to Honda] on these tyres,” he added. “Last year, the Bridgestone maybe had some other problems, but are very safe on the front. This year, if you make a small mistake, you pay.

“In that corner I entered with the same speed, there are two bumps, and maybe I was more inside, maybe I lost concentration, maybe I wanted more, and I lost the front.”

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