Duo have point to prove
FRENCH MOTOGP: ROSSI, VINALES DESPERATE TO KEEP CHASING PACK AT BAY Jerez was not a happy hunting ground for Yamaha.
Yamaha riders Valentino Rossi and Maverick Vinales will look to rediscover their impressive early-season form at this weekend’s French MotoGP after a difficult race in Spain.
Veteran Italian Rossi leads the championship with 62 points after four rounds, while Vinales is a close second after winning the first two races in Qatar and Argentina.
But the pair struggled in Jerez last time out, Vinales finishing sixth following his retirement at the Grand Prix of the Americas and Rossi trailing home in 10th as Dani Pedrosa and Marc Marquez sealed a one-two finish for Honda.
“After the difficulties during the Jerez weekend, the Le Mans GP will be very important,” said Rossi, who finished on the podium in each of the opening three races before his Spanish travails.
“It is true that we are still first in the standings, but we need to improve the bike to be really competitive,” added the 38-year-old, who is a three-time winner here.
Vinales hopes the return to the site of his first top-three finish a year ago, when he was still with Suzuki, can spark a recovery.
“The race in Jerez was very difficult for us,” admitted the Spaniard. “Luckily during the test on Monday we had a totally different result, it was a really good test.
“For that reason we’re arriving in France with a positive mind. Le Mans is a good track for us, it suits my riding style.”
Both Marquez and Pedrosa have cranked up the pace, but their thoughts were with former world champion Nicky Hayden this week after the American was seriously hurt while riding his bicycle in Italy.
He was rushed to hospital with severe chest and head injuries, according to local reports.
“Best wishes @NickyHayden! Stay strong my friend! #GoNicky,” Pedrosa tweeted, while Marquez also took to Twitter to post a picture of himself alongside the 2006 MotoGP champion. “My thoughts are with you,” he added. –