Assen ‘more suitable to the M1’, yellow flags hinder Rossi progress

Ten-time winner at Assen - eight in MotoGP, Valentino Rossi feels P18 doesn’t reflect the potential of his Yamaha M1 bike. 

Rossi encountered yellow flags and heavy rain at the wrong time during FP2, which resulted in the nine-time world champion being unable to ‘stay around the tenth of 12th’ place.

"My position is not fantastic but I was a bit unlucky, because in the afternoon I take a lot of yellow flags. Also on the last lap I was fast but it starts to rain in sector three," said Rossi. 

"If not I can stay around the tenth or 12th position. I have to work, we have to fix section two, section four, but the feeling with the bike is quite good and I think that my potential is better than this. 

"Unfortunately mixed weather; as always (here), but I really hope for Saturday, but especially Sunday to have a dry race." 

Along with his day-one position, Rossi also spoke about the new track surface at Assen which has drastically improved the ‘grip’, while ‘the situation with the bumps is better’ than before.

Rossi added: "Is always a great fun (being at Assen). This track have something special inside and also the new asphalt have a very good grip. The situation with the bumps is better so I enjoy very much. 

"In the wet the asphalt also work very well. There was a lot of grip and I did just two laps to understand the feeling, so it’s difficult to understand my potential on the wet. But the feeling was good. 

"For me the Assen track is more suitable to the M1 and also the asphalt, the new asphalt provide a very high grip that help us to fix our problem with the rear grip. 

"The typology of the track is beautiful for our bike. When you ride the M1 in Assen it is good. It’s a great pleasure and you can push."