Gerno di Lesmo (Italy), 27th August 2014
Movistar Yamaha MotoGP head to the United Kingdom this week for the British Grand Prix at the Silverstone circuit in Northamptonshire on Sunday. The team arrive in confident mood after two consecutive race weekends that have seen riders Valentino Rossi and Jorge Lorenzo stand side by side on the podium together.
Silverstone is another circuit with the potential to deliver strong results for Rossi and Lorenzo with fast sweeping corners well suited to the YZR-M1.
Rossi has long been a favourite of the British fans and is guaranteed a loud reception at the weekend. The Italian nine-time world champion has yet to win at Silverstone but has a great history in the UK, taking three premier class MotoGP wins in the modern era in 2002, 2004 and 2005 at Donington Park and two 500cc victories in 2000 and 2001. He also has one 250cc victory in 1999 and one 125cc victory in 1997.
Teammate Lorenzo has the most wins of any rider in the premier class at Silverstone, taking three of the four victories since the British Grand Prix moved there from Donington Park in 2010. 2011 is the only year he hasn’t stood on the top step so far. Lorenzo is also popular with the British crowd who remembers him taking victory at Donington in 2006 in the 250cc class.
Valentino Rossi
“I really want to go to Silverstone because this is not an easy track for me. Last year, in the race, in the end I did not go bad but I think that this year I can get better. Silverstone is a great track, very fast, beautiful and for me it would be very important to be able to get a good result, especially after the last few races. We are working well, we are making small steps forward and we are getting closer to our goal. I feel good and that’s why I have to be more competitive this year at Silverstone”.
Jorge Lorenzo
“After three consecutive podiums I feel good. Last weekend in Brno we found some good solutions that surely will give us at least a tenth in the next races. I feel quite good and we are going up throughout the championship. We must congratulate the team for their work in the last races and especially during the last one at Brno. We’re happy and confident for the next race. Silverstone is quite different to Brno. It’s a long varied circuit with fast corners and strong braking points and last year we got the win there. It looks good but we need to be careful and work hard during the whole weekend and then wait also for the weather, which is always tricky there.”
Massimo Meregalli
“Silverstone is always a race we enjoy coming to. The reception from the British fans is fantastic. I am confident we can get our first win especially after the results of the last two rounds. The track is very well suited to the M1 and we have won three of the last four GP races there, therefore our confidence is pretty high. We look forward to a great show in the UK.”