Asking a racer for an interview at the racetrack is asking for trouble. Emotions run high. Time is short. Sponsor obligations must be met. It’s tough for riders to find time for journalists.
No one in MotoGP is more under the gun than Valentino Rossi. Yet he somehow allocates space in his schedule every race weekend for four interviews; most writers covering the series get 10 minutes with him at some point during the season. Make those questions count!
On the Friday prior to July’s Red Bull U.S. Grand Prix at Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca, CW Technical Editor Kevin Cameron and I spent 22 minutes with Rossi in the rider lounge of the U.S. Yamaha truck. As has been our experience in the past, he welcomed us with a smile and handshake, then patiently and thoughtfully answered our questions.
Is it true that your Yamaha M1 had to be turned inside out for the switch this season from Michelin to Bridgestone tires?
We had some problem with Michelin at the end of 2006 in the last two races at Portugal and in Valencia. In 2007, it was a disaster for everybody. We had some good tracks but a lot of problems at other tracks. The atmosphere was not like we want. I speak with Jeremy Burgess and my crew, and we decide to try for Bridgestone. I meet with the team, test and we understand better the bigger development of Bridgestone—that they are better in all conditions. We have to change a lot in the setting because the Bridgestones are a lot different than the Michelins. I have to ride the bike in a different way. We always have a good chassis—good agility. This year, the bike improved a lot in the engine and also in all the electronic systems. Last year, it was a lot more difficult to ride. These tires have better edge grip than Michelin, but turning is more difficult. We have to set the bike to use edge grip so it doesn’t lose too much corner speed. The worst place was Qatar at the beginning of the season because we weren’t ready. After that, we go to two difficult racetracks for Bridgestone—Jerez and Estoril—where we were struggling a lot with the grip of the rear especially. We found good grip at Shanghai in China. At that moment, the situation came better; we were able to find better grip and a better setting. We use sometimes same, sometimes not same, sometimes similar tires to Casey Stoner. We developed a lot at the beginning of the season the Bridgestone tires—new rubbers and casings. The feeling between me and Casey is very similar. For example, at Sachsenring, yes, on the wet, but also on the dry, we had the same tire choice. With Bridgestone, you know exactly which tire the other guys use. The other guys know exactly which tire I use. It is a lot more open with everybody. Michelin was more secret.
You look very smooth here. When you come off the corners, it looks as if you are…calm. Stoner looks like he’s riding hard—the engine is popping and barking. As if he’s saying, “There’s no time to waste!” Whereas the Yamaha just sings that deep song that it makes.
This is my riding style—especially together with Yamaha. Because with this bike, I need to ride very smoothly and not too aggressive. You need a fine style to ride M1.
When I arrive at Yamaha in 2004, we had the 990. We tried to find a better engine solution that is smoother on the acceleration because the inline-Four is too aggressive. We continue that way because we want to find the right flow, the right smoothness from the engine.
I think that at the beginning of the season we were very good, maybe better than the Ducati because the Ducati is a bit more difficult to ride. But now, especially from Donington, after the Barcelona test, they find something better for the electronics, and it looks like the bike has become easier to ride. And Stoner rides very strong.
I’m wondering if we’re seeing an electronic war developing or, in fact, if all the makes will find the same answers and if the motorcycles will simply be the same at a very high level.
I think this is a bad way for our sport. Now, the level is so high, it is an electronic war, like you say. Before, the bike changed less between the beginning and the end of the season. Now, the development is incredible. Unfortunately, the races are boring; no way to overtake. The bikes have a lot of control, especially on acceleration, so the riders are able to open the throttle easier compared to the 990. It is more important to find the setting for the electronics turn-by-turn to accelerate without sliding.
We are incredibly fast in the corner now. We have less chance to make mistake because of the electronics, but when something wrong happens, the crash is always bad because the speed is so high. From zero to 10, the electronics are safe. But now we are at 28.
Before, we have to open the throttle from the edge of the corner, wait a bit, put more tire on the ground, use acceleration and control with the throttle the wheelie. So we are able to arrive at 100 percent throttle 70 meters after the corner. Now, edge grip, full throttle and all the electronics manage the power and the wheelie. So we arrive at the next corner a lot faster. More important, if you make a corner 15 kilometers per hour faster than in the past, you need 30 meters more run-off area. In Qatar, we are in the center of the desert; you have a lot of room. Here, at Sachsenring, at Assen—smack!
Kenny Roberts Jr. suggested that a possible solution might be 1200cc, a spec tire and no traction control. Is that something that you would find interesting?
For me, 990cc was enough; 1200 is a lot of power! We should try to reduce the development of the tires and reduce the electronics. Now, the traction control levels all the riders. If you find something better in the electronics, it makes a big difference, and you’re able to ride the bike faster and with less effort. They have to think of something with the electronics—having the throttle in the hand, as in the past. More overtaking, better races, more fun—a little bit flexible bike, you know? More fight.
Before, the fastest rider had a great relationship with the throttle—like love with the throttle. Now, it’s a computer; it is not possible to slide. Sometimes, it is not possible to make wheelie. The bike understands if the front is not on the ground, and it cuts the power. To make one wheelie for the fans with 200 horsepower, why did it become difficult? In 2003, already with the four-stroke, at the end of practice, everybody makes wheelie and lot of slides. Now, everybody is like Formula One; we come back to the pit and we make nothing. I think this is quite bad for our sport. It was our positive thing: slide, overtake. It was what we were best at compared with Formula One.
If we try to cut the electronics, we have to pick a tire that has less edge grip but more traction. Naturally, we start to lose some corner speed, we start to accelerate with the throttle and control the speed. Maybe more fight, more overtaking.
A couple of people have proposed that a motorcycle might be able to accelerate faster if it’s still leaned over a little bit than it can when it’s upright because the center of mass is lower so it doesn’t pick up the front wheel as much. I suppose a person would have to look at computer data for that, yes?
Yes, yes, it’s true. If you’re at an angle, you have less wheelie. Before, the bigger enemy was the slide—the traction. Now, the traction is unbelievable. The enemy is the wheelie.
