2019 MotoGP
Round Four – Jerez
Rider Quotes
Marc Marquez – P1
“This race was a mental race, more than a physical one. After the mistake in Austin it wasn’t easy to lead the race like that from beginning to end, but I knew I had the pace to do it and the bike to do it. I wanted to do a race like in Argentina and at the start in Austin to prove it was a mistake there. I felt good all weekend, smooth, comfortable and able to ride how I want. Thanks to the Repsol Honda Team, they’ve done an amazing job over the last few weeks and here this weekend. It’s great to be leading the championship again.”
Alex Rins – P2
“It’s incredible to get a win and then a 2nd place. I feel very happy; this race was really difficult and starting on the third row made it harder. I gave 100% and I knew that my race pace could be close to Marc’s, so I planned to try and get a good start and go towards the front. The Spanish fans were amazing today, I could see Peluqui corner full of fans and it gives me a real boost every lap. I want to keep up this consistency and I hope for another good finish in Le Mans.”
Maverick Viñales – P3
“To be on the podium feels like a victory to me. I saw that Dovi and Petrucci were behind me, together, so I thought “Woah, Dovi is going to push, so it‘s going to be difficult”, so I just tried to do my best laps and ride the best sectors I could. Honestly, it was difficult because I had just a little bit of tyre left at the end. I don‘t know if I could have done more laps like that last lap, but I‘m happy because the bike was good at the end. It was very important to demonstrate that we could be there. We recovered a lot of confidence, especially with the front tyre. We‘ve done something different on the bike, that gives me more consistency at the start so I can be much more precise. I‘m really happy because we didn‘t lose any positions at the start, we even gained one, and then another during the race. We‘ve been working really good during the whole weekend. After FP3 we were out of Q2, which means that, since then, we‘ve improved the bike quite a lot. Today was a good test to see where we are. It‘s important that we weren‘t so far from the front in the end. The most important thing is to be on the podium consistently. If we give our best, I think I can arrive at the top, but honestly there‘s no time to relax. Especially tomorrow, we need to do a good test. It‘s very important tomorrow to get everything done and go to Le Mans with a good mindset.”
Andrea Dovizioso – P4
“If we consider the issues we’ve always had in the past at Jerez, we can be satisfied with both our pace and the gap from the front at the end of the race. That said, it’s a pity we couldn’t step on the podium, which was our goal. The race was faster than what we expected, and I lost too much ground at the start. In the final phases, I took quite a few risks to cut the gap from Viñales, but I was still losing too much ground in the faster corners to be able to attack him under braking. We knew that on fast-flowing tracks such as this one we would have struggled a bit more. We need to improve our corner speed, we have done that to some extent already and we’re not far from our rivals, so tomorrow we’ll keep working in this direction.”
Danilo Petrucci – P5
“Overall, I’m happy with the way we managed a race that proved to be a bit trickier than what we expected. Early on, I simply tried to stay calm and collected to preserve the tyres for the final laps, and honestly I thought the podium was within our reach, but unfortunately it wasn’t the case despite the fact that both Andrea and I gave our 100 percent until the very end. I lacked a bit of corner speed and I couldn’t be as efficient as I would have liked under braking. To finish in the top-three, this year, it’s necessary to iron out every single detail and, in my case, to start from a better position on the grid. That said, it’s been a positive weekend. We collected important points for our championship and, starting tomorrow, we’ll keep working as hard as ever to get closer to the front.”
Valentino Rossi – P6
“We made the choice of the tyre at the very last moment. I wanted to race with the medium, but later the temperature rose a lot and we thought “Medium or hard? Medium or hard? Medium or hard?”. In the end we put in the hard, and I think this is the big thing we could have changed. I’m very curious to try the race with the medium, because at the end Maverick was good. I did a good start, but at the beginning I didn’t have enough pace to overtake, but on the second half of the race I was good. I was stronger and my pace wasn’t too bad, good enough to overtake, go, and take some points, which are good for the championship. I think that if I had started more towards the front I could have stayed with the front group, around where Maverick was. The pace of today’s race was very, very fast. I was like 25 seconds faster than my race last year, the gap to first position is less, I felt more comfortable on the bike, and especially on the last lap I was fast. Now we have to concentrate on the next few races.”
Franco Morbidelli – P7
“With this seventh position we have rounded off a good weekend for us. We were very quick at the start of the race and I was feeling good and comfortable with the pace of the front runners. I also felt comfortable with the tyres, although as the laps went by I lowered my speed because that changed. In the end, we managed the tyre wear well, so that on the last few laps we would have the ability to fight for the top Independent Team Rider honour with Cal Crutchlow. It’s the first time we have achieved this, so it’s a positive thing that we should repeat many more times. This is a good result for us and it shows that we are improving every day. Now we will try to do a good job at tomorrow’s test, which is also here at Jerez, to be as prepared as possible for Le Mans.”
Cal Crutchlow – P8
“I never really found a good setting all weekend, I think if I’d been able to find a better setting I would have been able to use the hard rear tyre. This morning I was quite fast on the hard rear tyre, but I wasn’t confident enough to use it in the race because I didn’t know if I was going to have a bad feeling with it like the last couple of days. So I opted to go with the medium and it was the wrong choice – it’s as simple as that. But I tried my best and eighth place was better than not finishing today, for sure. We need to work on the setting of the bike, that’s the main thing, as I don’t feel very comfortable at the moment, as you saw in the race.”
Takaaki Nakagami – P9
“At the end of the race we were quite competitive and the lap time was consistent, in the low 38s and on the last lap I did very close to the best time, but it was too late. The first lap was much better than at the other circuits, but we are still missing a bit of aggression on the riding and I lost a few positions at the start of the race. We have to focus on that point because during the race and at the end of the race we were quite strong. It’s another top 10, P9 is not too bad but we can improve a lot for the next race and keep improving.”
Stefan Bradl – P10
“I am very happy with the result because we have done a good job over the last months testing. We found positive things and turn it into a result which is important to me, reinforcing in myself that I have the speed. It’s also important for the team around me, the guys work a lot away from the races so these points and the positive feedback is a reward for them. The work we are doing now will be important for the future. Thanks to my team and to HRC for all their efforts.”
Aleix Espargaro – P11
“In the very early stages of the race, I struggled to find traction, but after just five or six laps I began to feel more at ease, and I was lapping with a good pace. The situation got even better in the last ten laps, where I was decidedly consistent. I began to make up ground on the group of riders ahead of me and I knew I could battle with Nakagami and Crutchlow, who I was getting closer to. Unfortunately, it wasn’t possible because Miller hit me as I was overtaking him. I was already all the way on the inside of the turn and it was a rather violent blow. Fortunately, I was able to keep it upright. However, that made me lose a position to Bradl. The race was our best track session of the weekend and that makes me happy. Right now, obtaining the maximum result and not making mistakes is the important thing, and today we were able to do that. Tomorrow will be another very important day of testing. I’ll be the first one out on the track, and we will keep working hard to improve.”
Jorge Lorenzo – P12
“It has been a difficult end to the weekend, we wanted to be stronger but I am still not comfortable on the bike. We are still lacking kilometers compared to the other Honda riders. Today especially I was not comfortable on the bike and it was a very difficult race. Tomorrow’s test will be important for us to try and improve my feeling, especially on corner entry where I think I am losing the most. We have to keep working.”
Pol Espargaro – P13
“I did a good race. I suffered with the grip in the beginning but caught Lorenzo and passed him. I then just misread my pitboard and eased off a lap earlier. It was one of the biggest mistakes in my career. I was so focussed and so on the limit that I was not thinking about anything else except that Jorge would not pass me back. In the end we lost one position and also I would have been closer to the winner in terms of race time. I know we also had good lap-time speed today. We have a lot to do tomorrow now and to compare what we had in Le Mans and also this weekend.”
Johann Zarco – P14
“Tough today. I wanted to overtake more riders but I was on the limit for a lot of the race and losing in acceleration, so it was complicated to pass people on the brakes. I could keep some pace and kept with Pol but in the second half of the race I had to set the target of just finishing. I think we will take some good information in the Monday test. We had some improvement during the weekend but we need to take the general feeling on the bike higher.”
Tito Rabat – P15
“Well, after a complicated weekend we have understood a lot of things, we have improved the grip. Now the objective is to make the bike a bit more agile during the race so that we can reach with more strength at the end of the race, catch a slightly higher pace with less effort. But hey, it has been for me super important this point, at least one point goes well. Looking forward to the test tomorrow, we will work on the bike, continue working on braking and level up.”
Karel Abraham – P16
“I am very angry. There are already two races in a row in the same position, 16th. It is a pity. I made a mistake at the beginning and I hate to start like this the second year, it was very bad and it is impossible to go back. Anyway, the first lap was good, the first part of the race was good, so Tito overtook me, it was still good, but unfortunately I started to lose the lead and I made two mistakes in turn 6. Then Tito opened quite a distance when I made a mistake and then squeezed but I was left with the same gap behind Tito, but I could not cut him, it was very hard.”
Bradley Smith – P17
“At the start of the race I was a bit rusty, but then things improved. Unfortunately, the medium front tyre did not help me to be incisive in braking, but I haven’t been able to try the hard compound much on the RS-GP and that is one of the things I intend to do in the tests tomorrow. This morning I felt good, but the high temperatures in the afternoon changed things. In the finale, I managed to ride better and be more decisive in the battle against the other riders. Overall, it was a positive weekend for the type of work that we are doing.”
Miguel Oliveira – P18
“It has been a difficult race, I couldn’t manage to stay up with the riders in front of me. So I just kept my rhythm, pushed every lap and took home 18th position. The team tried many things to help me but it seems like this weekend with the new parts, it was hard to find our balance with the bike again that we built through the tests and the first races. Now with the new material, I think we need a bit more time to find solutions to help me being comfortable and fast on the bike.”
Hafizh Syahrin – P19
“We tried some different things in the warm-up this morning and I have to admit that I didn’t think it was a big improvement but the feeling was a bit better. In the race I did my fastest laps of the weekend and caught up with [Bradley] Smith and Miguel until eight laps to go I couldn’t keep the pace anymore because the rear was sliding quite a lot and I couldn’t open the gas like I wanted to. Anyway, I keep believing in myself, stay positive and we for sure keep working hard for the next round in order to be better for the home Grand Prix for my team.”
Jack Miller – DNF
“I am very sorry because it is always a shame to fall with a few laps to go. I am especially sorry for the team that did a great job in these three days in Jerez. I tried to stay with the group fighting for the podium then I felt that I no longer have feeling. I’ll be back stronger at Le Mans.”
Pecco Bagnaia – DNF
“It was a difficult race because I didn’t get off to a good start. My race pace was not bad but when I tried to overtake Espargaro I made a small mistake and crashed. It’s a shame because we worked well this weekend. I can’t wait to be at Le Man, a track I really like.”
Joan Mir – DNF
“I’m disappointed that I didn’t finish the race, because I had good potential this weekend, but racing is like this. I was happy with my feeling, and when I was catching the group in front I felt good. I really like Le Mans and I hope I can do a great race there and get the result that I know I’m capable of.”
Fabio Quartararo – DNF
“You could say that I am both disappointed and happy. The race was very good; I felt very good on the bike and it was fantastic to ride with the top riders. That was until we suffered a small mechanical problem with the gear shifter. It’s something very small but it affected us a lot, forcing us to abandon the race. Despite this, I’m happy with the work that we’ve done during the weekend and we will continue in the same way at the coming races. The whole team have done an exceptional job, but in this sport there are things that you can’t control. As we did in Qatar, we will take away the positives – there were many of those at this GP. Before the season began, none of us expected to be fighting for the podium and to get a pole position in the fourth race of the year, so we should be happy with the work that is being done. I’m looking forward to the next race, which is the only home GP I have – I hope to do my best.”
Andrea Iannone – DNS
“I am sorry that I wasn’t able to be out there on the track. Yesterday in FP4 it seemed like we had found a positive direction for the weekend, but unfortunately the crash kept us from continuing our work. I hope to be at full fitness and back in the saddle as soon as possible. I am staying positive and confident.”
Team Managers talk Jerez MotoGP
Davide Brivio – Suzuki Ecstar Team Manager
“Alex did a great job, starting 9th in Jerez and recovering to 2nd is not easy at all, it’s one of the most difficult tracks to make up places. He did a great race, and his pace was very fast until the end. So, I want to congratulate him, and also to say thank you to all the team. I’m happy about Joan’s race, because despite the crash with 3 laps to go, he had good pace and was very close to the top in terms of lap times. So overall it’s been a positive day.”
Massimo Meregalli – Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP Team Director
“Considering where we were at after FP3, we welcome today‘s results with open arms. A lot of work has been done this weekend. We found a good set-up for Maverick in FP4. He had a really good start and positioned himself at the back of the front group, that was a key factor for today‘s podium. Also, he kept a really good pace the entire race and fended off Dovizioso, setting a 1‘38.1s on the last lap. We‘re very pleased with this third place, because it‘s a great confidence booster after a couple of tough races for him. Valentino‘s race had been compromised by the Q1 session and, at a track like this, starting from the fifth row is a huge set-back. The beginning of his race wasn‘t as good as usual, and he wasn‘t feeling comfortable with the hard front tyre for most of the race. Still, there are some positives to take away from this round. We arrived here with some doubts, because the last two years we have struggled here, so today‘s third place is a testimony to the hard work we have done and improvements we have made over the winter. Tomorrow we have a few things that we would like to try, especially concerning the electronics settings. If we find positive results, then we will use this new solution in Le Mans.”
Mike Leitner – Red Bull KTM Team Manager
“A weekend with some problems and it looks like we struggle more with rear grip here compared to some other places. The riders pushed to the maximum and Pol made a great race. In the end a small mistake led to a big consequence and I feel very sorry for him. He could have been 12th but did well anyway. Johann was also in this group. Pol’s fastest lap-time was just 0.5 slower than the race winner and we are twenty seconds behind Marquez: these are not horrible figures but we know we have to help the riders more and we will work hard in the company to make the bike better.”
2019 MotoGP – Round Four Results
| Pos | Rider | Bike | Time/Gap |
| 1 | Marc Marquez | Honda | 41’08.685 |
| 2 | Alex Rins | Suzuki | 1.654 |
| 3 | Maverick Viñales | Yamaha | 2.443 |
| 4 | Andrea Dovizioso | Ducati | 2.804 |
| 5 | Danilo Petrucci | Ducati | 4.748 |
| 6 | Valentino Rossi | Yamaha | 7.547 |
| 7 | Franco Morbidelli | Yamaha | 8.228 |
| 8 | Cal Crutchlow | Honda | 10.052 |
| 9 | Takaaki Nakagami | Honda | 10.274 |
| 10 | Stefan Bradl | Honda | 13.402 |
| 11 | Aleix Espargaro | Aprilia | 15.431 |
| 12 | Jorge Lorenzo | Honda | 18.473 |
| 13 | Pol Espargaro | KTM | 20.156 |
| 14 | Johann Zarco | KTM | 26.706 |
| 15 | Tito Rabat | Ducati | 28.513 |
| 16 | Karel Abraham | Ducati | 36.858 |
| 17 | Bradley Smith | Aprilia | 41.39 |
| 18 | Miguel Oliveira | KTM | 41.57 |
| 19 | Hafizh Syahrin | KTM | 50.568 |
| Not Classified | |||
| 43 | Jack MIller | Ducati | DNF |
| 36 | Joan Mir | Suzuki | DNF |
| 20 | Fabio Quartararo | Yamaha | DNF |
| 63 | Francesco Bagnaia | Ducati | DNF |
2019 MotoGP – Round Four
MotoGP Championship Points Standings
| Pos | Rider | Bike | Points |
| 1 | Marc Marquez | Honda | 70 |
| 2 | Alex Rins | Suzuki | 69 |
| 3 | Andrea Dovizioso | Ducati | 67 |
| 4 | Valentino Rossi | Yamaha | 61 |
| 5 | Danilo Petrucci | Ducati | 41 |
| 6 | Maverick Viñales | Yamaha | 30 |
| 7 | Jack Miller | Ducati | 29 |
| 8 | Takaaki Nakagami | Honda | 29 |
| 9 | Cal Crutchlow | Honda | 27 |
| 10 | Franco Morbidelli | Yamaha | 25 |
| 11 | Pol Espargaro | KTM | 21 |
| 12 | Aleix Espargaro | Aprilia | 18 |
| 13 | Fabio Quartararo | Yamaha | 17 |
| 14 | Jorge Lorenzo | Honda | 11 |
| 15 | Francesco Bagnaia | Ducati | 9 |
| 16 | Joan Mir | Suzuki | 8 |
| 17 | Miguel Oliveira | KTM | 7 |
| 18 | Johann Zarco | KTM | 7 |
| 19 | Stefan Bradl | Honda | 6 |
| 20 | Andrea Iannone | Aprilia | 6 |
| 21 | Tito Rabat | Ducati | 2 |
| 22 | Karel Abraham | Ducati | 0 |
| 23 | Hafizh Syahrin | KTM | 0 |
| 24 | Bradley Smith | Aprilia | 0 |
Source: MCNews.com.au