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MotoGP Qatar: Cool track temperature aids Rossi

Movistar Yamaha’s Valentino Rossi pulled off an unexpected podium finish at the Qatar MotoGP round after cooler track temperatures and some setup pokery made it easier for the Italian to find some of the corner-entry speed he has been lacking in winter testing.

Last night’s race was delayed for more than an hour with two rain showers and the track temperature was at 22°C when the lights went out. Rossi came through from tenth and shadowed team-mate and eventual winner Maverick Vinales but said he didn’t want to risk a fight with Andrea Dovizioso as Marc Marquez was already behind.

“I enjoyed very much. I saw Maverick for all the race and that never happened in all the tests. In the end I hoped that Dovi was more in trouble with the soft rear but I was also in trouble with the front, so if I arrived there and pushed and made a mistake, I would be very angry so for me this podium is very important,” said Rossi, speaking at the track.

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“To start the season with a podium is always great, and it is better than last year. I arrived from a difficult period with a very bad winter test, especially from November, from Valencia when I tried the new bike, I never felt good.

“I have to say a great thank you to Yamaha and all my team because in all this period I always feel great support and great trust in me. Also the situation was quite critical, so something changed from Thursday to Friday because on Thursday, we still have the same problems that I had during all the tests and it was very frustrating.

“But Friday was better and I started to improve, so from that moment I was quite optimistic to arrive in the first five. But Saturday we don't ride and the warm-up was very difficult but especially for me, I suffered very much with the high temperatures, the 10 degrees that we had more in the daytime, I felt the tyre after three corners," he added.

“These conditions in the race were a help for me and it was better. We improved the setting, especially to give me good stability for entry and also my team made a good modification for the front and I was stronger in braking."

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