MotoGP: Rossi and Lorenzo well rested over summer break

Both Valentino Rossi and Jorge Lorenzo say they’re coming back into the second half of the MotoGP season rested and refreshed, after making the most of the MotoGP summer break to switch off from the sport.

But while Lorenzo might have switched off from MotoGP, he hasn’t stepped away form bikes, spending days on track riding supermoto and pit bikes to try and regain some of the front end feel he’s lost in recent races – and says he’s happy to come back in the best shape possible.

“After the summer break we get back into action in Spielberg, a place we were able to check out for the first time three weeks ago during a two-days-test. I spent a few days’ time on the Balearic Islands to relax but then I started to train again to get in the best shape to face the second half of the season.

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“It’s true that the situation is difficult because Marc is slightly ahead in the championship but we will do our best, as every year, to try and cut the distance. We will keep fighting until the end of the championship!”

But while Lorenzo might be ready to get going, his Movistar Yamaha teammate Rossi admits that this weekend may not be the best start to the second half of the season for the duo.

“We arrive in Austria with renewed energy after the summer break. We needed the time off to recharge our batteries and now we‘re looking forward to going back on track after a period of rest. It’s always exciting to race at a circuit where we have no prior experience other than the two-day test held three weeks ago.

“Though we already determined that the track‘s layout might not play into Yamaha‘s strengths, we made good progress in finding a basic setting and we‘re looking forward to challenge at the front. Jorge and Vale have spent a large part of their time off on physical fitness training and preparing for the races to come. They are both in a good shape, so we feel ready to tackle the next nine rounds.”

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