Monster Energy Yamaha remains optimistic for Grand Prix of The Americas

Michelle Liew

April 11, 2019

After a beleaguering run in the Argentine MotoGP, Monster Energy Yamaha riders Valentino Rossi and Maverick Viñales are set to make a stellar comeback in Austin.

Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP Team has secured an amazing run throughout the 2019 MotoGP. The team faced some incidents in Argentina but is set to toughen up for Austin, Texas. Both Valentino Rossi and Maverick Viñales will be taking on the Circuit of the Americas (COTA) next. The riders both have high aims to produce sterling results.

Valentino Rossi: The challenging track is not a problem

Nine-time world champion Rossi fought hard in the previous race in Argentina and capped his run at second place. The Italian currently holds third place in the overall standings. Rossi has noted that the COTA is not one of his favourite tracks, despite having won two podium wins in 2015 and 2017. “It was a great emotion to stand on the podium again in Argentina, after such a long wait for me, the team, and also the fans. But now we need to focus on the next Grand Prix. We know that Austin is a tricky track. Maybe it‘s the most difficult and technical track of the MotoGP season, but in the previous years it wasn‘t so bad for me. In the last few years I felt good, and though I didn‘t arrive on the podium last year, I did in 2017. So, we have to do it like we did then: work well, ride well, follow the right direction, and then we‘ll see,” Rossi states as quoted from Monster Energy Yamaha Racing.

Photo credits: Yamaha Racing

Maverick Viñales: The key is to enjoy the race!

Viñales, on the other hand, encountered an unfortunate crash in the Autódromo Termas de Río Hondo and has dropped to 11th place overall. The Spaniard has high hopes to bounce back from the incident to take Monster Energy Yamaha Racing to the top. “The first thing I want to say is that I arrive in Austin in a good physical condition after the crash in Argentina, and that is the most important thing. Luckily, I didn‘t hurt myself and I can say that I‘ll start the third round of the calendar with full strength. Austin is a track that I really like and where I‘ve always felt very good on the bike. I have very good memories of the Circuit of the Americas, so I‘m going to try to enjoy the Grand Prix as much as I can. We will try to change the small things we‘ve found at the last round in order to be able reach the podium, that is our main goal. We have to give our 100% to lose no more points and move upwards in the classification,” Viñales adds.

Photo credits: Yamaha Racing

Up next for Monster Energy Yamaha

The Circuit of the Americas was added to the Grand Prix schedule back in 2013, the year it was constructed. It is 3.427-mile (5.515 km) long and has a number of tight hairpins to make the race much more interesting and challenging. The race will be taking place on April 14 before heading to the European leg in Spain.