Rossi Continues Tyre Development
Added on Wednesday, April 16th, 2008 by Carole Nash Editor
Rossi made a high-profile switch to Bridgestone this season
Yamaha team manager Davide Brivio believes that Valentino Rossi team may not be far away from finding the ideal tyre configuration.
Rossi spent Monday’s testing session at Estoril on tyre development as he looks to end his seven-race winless streak in China in three weeks time.
The Italian made a high-profile move from Michelin tyres to Bridgestone during the off-season, whilst teammate and current world championship leader Jorge Lorenzo uses the Michelin tyres as used on the Fiat Yamaha bike last season.
Rossi tested both qualifying and race tyres in his 90 laps in Portugal and team manager Davide Brivio believes that the team have some good ideas to implement for Shanghai.
“Today was all about tyres, set-up and our ongoing task of improving the Yamaha-Bridgestone package,” confirmed Brivio.
“We tried new front and rear race tyres and also some new qualifying tyres, and we found some good solutions to take with us to China. We were able to improve rear grip and durability especially and these are two key areas for us.
“Valentino worked very hard today and completed 90 laps, and he deserves to be happy with a job well done.
“Of course we are always working on the general setting and we hope that we’re going to be arriving in China now with an even better bike than we had this weekend.”
