Cycle News is a weekly magazine that covers all aspects of motorcycling including Supercross, Motocross and MotoGP as well as new motorcycles
Issue link: https://magazine.cyclenews.com/i/1542349
Coming back to motorcycles, if you stay for the 80Occ bikes next year, you have the chan€e to win the title in five categories. 125,250, 50O, 990 and 800. Does that appeal to you! Yes. For sure, I prefer 1000, I think. But looking at the development of this F4otoGf maybe 800 is a good idea. I hope the engine will remain ver), drivable, like l000cc now. And for sure I like to think I could win, and I have had the chance to ride all the bikes of my time - 125, 250, 500, I'lotoGP So 800cc would be another hit. For sure, is a new challenge. When will you de€ide whether to stay with bikes next year or go to cars? I don't have a deadline. Bur I think any\./ay this story is not ver/ long. Yamaha will have to decide, so I must decide soon. Anylvay, if I decide to go, I will still make the first development of the 800, For now, Yamaha is a pan of me. lf I go with cars, I am happy if Yamaha also win next year. So I want to help with the 800. Looking at this year, the latest machine is per{orm- ing v/ell. ls it a big difference from last year? It's unbelievable, the difference from June last year to now, especially in the enSine. With the 500s, the bikes were more or less the same from one year to the next. Now with MotoGP every year is like a different bike. The engine power is really strong this year Last year, also, the bike was not so precise sometimes on the cor- ner entry and that is befter- Now we have some vibra- tion [chattering] problems, but already that is better. What we need now is to make it so we are not so close to these problems when we are close to the limit, It seems t,lat Yamaha is much more ready to race at this point than Honda. What do you think of thatl I think that during the winter at Honda have made some confusion. And I think now we are more ready than Honda. Also lthink that on March 26 lthe flrst GP at Jerezl, Honda will come back. I think they will 8et things fixed. Some say that you have the strength to destroy other riders mentally. ls this something yoq do deliberately? ln my career, what makes the difference is, lam able to go a liftle bit faster than the others. This is the men- tal strength. So it is not a decision from me. But it is enjoyable. lt is a sport, but it is a battle. Even when you play cards, you want to play in a better way. Who do you see as your strongest rivals this year? I expect [Dani] Pedrosa to be very strong, but maybe not from the beginning. Also [Marco] l'4elandri and [Nicky] Hayden, but at this moment they have some problems. Hayden is very good, and very fast. He rides well. Last year, at the end, he made a lot of podium in a row. But he is not ready to develop a bike. l4aybe that makes for some confusion. About Melandri... I don't know what has problems are. You didn't mention Sete Gibernau or Ducati, Later ih the year maybe also Ducati. We need to understand the Bridgestone tires, and how they will per- form throuSh the year. But don't forget Colin lEdwards]. I think this year he will be faster, because the bike is bet- ter. Last year he had a lot of problems with the bike. I think he will make a good season. for results, Pedrosa is already three times World Champion, so it is a great career, Finally, after all the success, do you have any prob. lem finding motiyation for this coming year? And does it make a difference in this respect that there is no Max Biaggi? I have a great motivation, Every year is a battle, and I have a lot of will to win. Also, working in this team gives me extra motivatioh- The air in the box, the atmosphere - the feeling is very good. I have my team, Jeremy [Burgess] and the guys, but also all the guys who work for Yamaha, Now everyone gives 100 percent. From Japan and also from ltaly. This is my biSgest motivation. But I am not happy that Biaggi is finished. For sure, he is one of my greatest riv-als, and a great talent. So for the championship, it is bad to be without Max. Cll lHr Some people are already saying that Pedrosa will be the next Valentino Rossi. Do you agree? I hope not (laughs). I think every rider is different. But ;- I !,1 ,t lll \ t .r& .,. - Y''i" \ " 6' t' t- @ a). o !.:$* J ( /-') 7), L t i, ,! aa