Valentino Rossi: “I have always been better in racing than in qualifying”

Present this weekend in Zandvoort for the 5th round of the GT World Challenge Europe, Valentino Rossi presented himself to the press at the end of his first day of testing. The opportunity for the Italian to talk about the track, the banking and his sensations behind the wheel of the WRT team's Audi.

Published on 18/06/2022 à 12:35

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Valentino Rossi: “I have always been better in racing than in qualifying”

Valentino Rossi looked back on his complicated debut on the Zandvoort track. ©G.Le Normand/DPPI.

How was your day on Friday?

It was difficult, I hoped for better. We came to the Zandvoort circuit in March to do a test day. I really liked it, I felt good with the car but unfortunately the conditions are very different. Today it is warmer and there is less grip. The track is dusty because of the sand, the dunes, the sea wind. The car is more difficult to drive than this winter.

During free practice 1, I made a mistake after two and a half laps. I hit the rail with the rear and broke the suspension. It's a real shame because today we had two long testing sessions, a bit like in MotoGP. You can stay in the car for a long time and do a lot of kilometers but with this problem we had to stop immediately.

In FP2, we were able to work but my feelings at the wheel were different. It's very easy to lose the rear, we still have to work but don't worry because it's only Friday. I hope that in the days to come the track will be cleaner and with more grip. We have to be better during qualifying because they are very important since it's hard to overtake here.

How do you approach banking?

It's interesting and weird at the same time. The last corner is good because you go full throttle so it's okay even if after a few laps it's a bit of a strain on the neck.

The third turn is much more difficult. In this corner, Frédéric Vervisch (his teammate) made a big difference on me. It’s a big challenge because you have to trust banking. You feel like you're heading straight into the wall and with each lap you have to go a little faster. The sensations are still fantastic.

You often have better pace in the race than on a fast lap in qualifying. Do you understand why?

It's true that it's harder in qualifying. In my motorcycle career, I have always been better in racing than in qualifying. On a lap, you have to have good control of your car because you are pushing to the maximum. The key is also to know how to use the tires perfectly because they are in the best window of use over one or two laps. When I string together the laps I manage to have a good rhythm but I have to find it immediately to achieve a fast time on the first attempt.

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