MONSTER ENERGY YAMAHA MOTOGP TEAM READY FOR JEREZ REMATCH

Jerez de la Frontera (Spain), 22nd July 2020

The Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP Team will be back in action at the Circuito de Jerez-Ángel Nieto (Spain) this weekend. Maverick Viñales and Valentino Rossi have already made some kilometres around the 4.4 km track last weekend and are keen to make another step for the Gran Premio de Andalucía.

Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP‘s Maverick Viñales and Valentino Rossi are impatient to get back aboard their YZR-M1s again at the Circuito de Jerez-Ángel Nieto to compete in the second round of the 2020 MotoGP World Championship.

Viñales had a great Spanish GP overall. His blistering pace was matching the heat at the Jerez track all weekend and saw him secure his first front row start and podium (a second place) of the 2020 season. However, the Spaniard is ever the perfectionist and can‘t wait to further tweak the settings of his YZR-M1 in order to gun for a top position again. The number-12 rider aims to revisit the Andalusian podium once more this weekend and add to his list of successes here: his second place from last week, a third-place MotoGP finish last year, and his Moto3 win in 2013.

Rossi is passionate about making a strong comeback this weekend. The Italian had the setback of scoring an NC result last Sunday due to a technical issue. This week he wants to make up for the lost points, work on the rear grip issue that held him back last weekend, and delight his fans with some thrilling racing action. If anyone knows how to do that it‘s The Doctor. He has stood on the top step of the Jerez rostrum seven times in total (in 2001, 2002, 2003, 2005, 2007, 2009 and 2016), secured two second places (in 2008 and 2014), and achieved three third places (in 2000, 2010 and 2015) in the premier class alone. He was also successful here in the lower classes, securing a 125cc and 250cc win in 1997 and 1999 respectively, and a 250cc second place in 1998.

For the Andalusian GP, the Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP bikes will again be sporting a special sticker on the front cowl. This time, Official Regional Sponsor Pont Grup will be proudly featured on Maverick Viñales‘ and Valentino Rossi‘s YZR-M1s, as they strive for greatness once more in Jerez.

The Circuito de Jerez was built in 1986 and has been one of the most popular MotoGP events of the season ever since. It is blessed with good weather, beautiful scenery, fast corners, and hard braking areas, a package which delivered some exciting racing action last weekend and promises to do so again this time round.

MASSIMO MEREGALLI

TEAM DIRECTOR

This weekend we will again be riding at the Jerez Circuit. It’s a unique and perhaps also a fortunate situation for MotoGP: normally we have to wait a full year, but this time we get to apply the race data from last weekend immediately and use it as we prepare for Sunday‘s race. This is especially convenient as we haven‘t made that many race kilometres as we usually would have done around this time of year. Last weekend we have identified certain areas where we need to improve. For sure, because he came close to the top step of the podium last time out, Maverick will be super motivated to fight for first place – it will have made him even hungrier for a win. Valentino will also be really eager to get back in the saddle to leave last weekend‘s disappointing end to the race behind him. We will give both riders our full support again to make top results happen.

MAVERICK VIÑALES

Last week I felt amazing on the bike here in Jerez, so I also feel confident for this GP. Honestly, I had a good pace – first in the test and later throughout the race weekend – and despite the tyre degradation in the race I was able to take second place. My team did a great job and we are all really motivated to fight for the podium and the victory again. I think we can be even stronger this time, because we now have all this extra race data. We have been doing a good job so far, so we will continue to work hard, as always, to get the best result possible.

VALENTINO ROSSI

The Spanish GP was difficult for me. I struggled a lot in the heat because of tyre degradation, and then later I had to retire from the race, which was unlucky. In a certain way it‘s good that we get to race in Jerez again this week, because we can take the data from Sunday and use it to our advantage. We will work hard because we want to come back strong this weekend. I feel good and I‘m ready to fight again.