Rossi encouraged by electronics step, ‘the road is long’

Valentino Rossi feels his Movistar Yamaha squad’s ‘small modifications’ to its electronics set-up has been a sure step forward to add substance to the team's Silverstone resurgence.

The Movistar Yamaha squad produced a 1-2 in the times at the end of the opening practice session at the British MotoGP before both factory riders remained comfortably inside the top 10 in FP2.

Rossi confirmed he trialled an electronics modification during FP2 at the British track, which team-mate Maverick Vinales first tried out at last week’s Misano test, and has backed up the positive feedback from Vinales with the changes aiming to cure its acceleration woes which became badly exposed last time out in Austria at the Red Bull Ring.

“In the afternoon it was interesting as I tried something technical that Maverick tried in Misano [test],” Rossi said. “I liked it and it was good so this is positive. The track helps but also the small modifications are better.

“My pace is good, I have a good pace, but unfortunately during the time attack I got stuck with Simeon. If not I could be better but it is important to be in the top ten.

“We worked a bit on the electronics for acceleration and it looks like we have made a step as the bike is a bit smoother from the bottom. I think this is important for us.”

In a bid to cure its electronics woes, Yamaha has called upon Michele Gadda – technical coordinator of its factory World Superbike squad – which Rossi has supported with the technical head assisting the MotoGP team since the Brno test.

“Unfortunately Michele is not here with us because he is in charge of the Superbikes team [which is testing at Portimao] but we have worked together in the last period,” he said. “It looks like we have started to go in the good way.

“The road is long and there is a lot of work but this afternoon I feel something better and also Maverick said the same thing so it is positive.

“The level is very high and I think that in dry conditions there are five riders that are very strong [at Silverstone].

“It is like last year, one story is the first five laps and I think this speed we have but to win the race or reach the podium we need to understand the performance in the last five laps. This we don’t know until Sunday.”