Rivals Rossi and Marquez prefer to look ahead; Pedrosa declared fit to race in Austin
Austin (Texas, US), 20 April 2018: Here for the Red Bull Grand Prix of the Americas, arch rivals Valentino Rossi (Movistar Yamaha MotoGP) and Marc Marquez (Repsol Honda Team) opted to look forward than back at the incident involving the two of them during the Argentina GP.
Nine times World Champion Rossi said: “The only thing to do now is to look to the future and think about this weekend. I think it’s important to get back on track, ride the motorcycle, to try to get the maximum and work with the team. I’m very happy to be here. Also because this track is very difficult, so you have a lot of work, it’s very long with a lot of corners – so we have to think about that. Do our work, and try the maximum.”
Then, when pressed on his comments at Termas de Rio Hondo, the ‘Doctor’ reaffirmed his opinion. “I watched the race. I think exactly what I said after the race in Argentina. But it’s better to look forward.” The door to talking through the issues with Marc Marquez, however, was left ajar. “Maybe it’s not yet time to talk, but maybe in the future.”
I learn from my mistakes: Marquez
It was a turbulent weekend in Argentina for reigning World Champion Marquez, and ahead of the Americas GP, the number 93, who was penalized thrice during the Argentina GP, said that it was a technical fault that saw him stall on the grid and that he focused on learning from the bad and taking the good from it.
“The race weekend in Argentina and especially Sunday was very tricky for the conditions and a lot of things happened during the race weekend,” said the Repsol Honda rider. “But I’m a rider and a person who likes to improve and especially learn from everything. And I think from that race day everybody can learn a lot.”
It was a recurring theme for the number 93, who received three penalties during the race and was therefore eventually classified 18th. He also said he’s watched the race for precisely that reason – because it’s good to analyse the bad as well as the good.
“In Argentina, I did and said everything I believed in at the time, and I continue believing that. I’m a rider and a person who likes to improve and learn from, in this case, mistakes. A lot of things happened. I made mistakes, I was penalised and I went to apologise.
“We’re riders, we’re people and we all make mistakes. It’s a competition at the limit, and the track conditions were at the limit. So you learn from the bad and the good, and make sure it doesn’t happen again.”
Finally, when asked about the current climate and discussions centered on Argentina, Marquez says it’s best to concentrate on what’s happening on track. “I’m concentrating on myself, being at 100% on track – everything else, I try to keep some distance from.”
Pedrosa declared fit
Meanwhile, Dani Pedrosa (Repsol Honda Team) has been passed fit to head out on his RC213V at the Red Bull Grand Prix of the Americas, just one week after having surgery on a broken radius he sustained in his Argentina GP crash.
The initial fears were that Pedrosa would have to sit out this weekend, a track that he’s done well at in the past. However, as was confirmed earlier this week, the three-time World Champion will attempt to ride – and thanked fans for their messages of encouragement.
Source: motogp.com
