MONSTER ENERGY YAMAHA MOTOGP READY TO START THE GRAND PRIX OF STYRIA

The Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP Team will be tackling the Spielberg circuit once more this weekend, for Round 5 of the 2020 MotoGP World Championship.

Following an eventful race day at the Motorrad Grand Prix von Österreich last Sunday, the Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP Team have analysed the data and are ready for another head-to-head at the Spielberg Circuit this Sunday, for the Grand Prix of Styria.

Maverick Viñales was unlucky not to be able to go all out in the opening laps of Race 2 last weekend due to a technical issue. However, his competitive pace later on as well as his pole position give him confidence that he can get a top result this weekend.

‘Top Gun’ is currently third in the championship standings, 19 points from first, but not for long if it‘s up to the Spaniard. He is determined to end the triple header with a good result, bettering his fifth-position best result on a Yamaha on Austrian soil, achieved in 2019.

Valentino Rossi had a big scare at the Austrian GP watching two crashed bikes cross the track right in front of him, nearly taking out both him and his team-mate. However, he was able to get right back into the zone for the 20-lap Race 2 that followed. His fifth place gave him an extra boost for the upcoming weekend and pushed him two places up the order to fifth in the championship.

The Doctor made a big improvement over the course of the last weekend and feels that, with the race data added, he and his crew will be able to make further steps during the Grand Prix of Styria. The Italian‘s best premier class results in Austria are the fourth places he obtained in 2016 and 2019, and he has his eyes on a top-3 trophy for this weekend.

The Spielberg circuit was constructed in 1969 and was rebuilt in 1996 to the track‘s current lay-out. It had hosted two Austrian GPs in the 90s and staged its return to MotoGP Grand Prix racing after nineteen years in 2016. It has been a fixture on the MotoGP calendar since. The track has a special character, with only ten turns in total (three left and seven right) and multiple long straights, the longest measuring 626m. The circuit’s design puts the emphasis on top speed, acceleration and braking stability, offering the riders plenty of opportunities to fully open the throttle.

MASSIMO MEREGALLI

TEAM DIRECTOR

The team has taken a moment to breathe after last week‘s drama, and we are ready now to pick up work where we have left off. Last weekend we could have done better. We now look forward to getting the results that we know we’re capable of. We have analysed the data of last week‘s Race 1 and Race 2, so we have a clear idea of which areas we would like to work on ahead of Sunday‘s Grand Prix of Styria.

MAVERICK VIÑALES

Last Sunday was a bit mixed. Valentino and I were very lucky not to get hurt in the incident in Turn 3, but I‘m disappointed about what happened during Race 2. Thankfully, we have another opportunity this Sunday to show what we can do. My pace was really quite good towards the end of last week‘s race, so I think that if we work hard, we can take some championship points back this weekend. That‘s our target.

VALENTINO ROSSI

Last weekend‘s race was scary. In the end all riders are okay, and that‘s the main thing, but there is a lesson in this for all of us, especially the riders. We all have a lot of fun on track trying to finish in front, we all enjoy the battles, but in the end your own safety as well as that of the other riders is more important than any amount of gained positions. With this in mind, I think we will all be able to enjoy this upcoming GP even more. I did a good Race 2 last Sunday, and fifth was okay, but I think that we can do better, so let‘s see what we can do this weekend.