MotoGP: Valentino Rossi happy with Bridgestone progress

Valentino Rossi said he was satisfied with new front and rear Bridgestone tyres after he finished the Jerez test second quickest.

Rossi’s best lap of 1.39.117s was set on a qualifier though he was able to reel off a series of consistent laps on race rubber in the 1.40 bracket as he was beaten by Fiat Yamaha team-mate Jorge Lorenzo.

The 29-year-old Italian, who notched his 100th premier class podium in Sunday’s Spanish GP, said: “It was a good test and we made a lot of work, especially with the Bridgestone tyres.

“We had some different rubber and different casings as well, especially for the rear and also a bit on the front.

“Some of it was good and a bit better than what I had in the race.

“I also worked on the setting to find better stability in the long corners to make the bike less nervous and more stable and it looks like we have found something good that works quite well, so we hope to use this in Portugal.”

Rossi was happy with a new front tyre he tried, and he said he is likely to opt for the new tyre in the next race in Estoril on April 13.
 
“It is a little bit better in the braking stability and I think it is possible we can use this in Portugal, “said Rossi, who called on Bridgestone engineers for more improvements with the rear tyre as he seeks to end the longest win drought of his MotoGP career since his rookie campaign in 2000.

He added: “We have to work on the rear, especially on the traction side but we have good stability and good grip on the edge.”