On-the-pace Rossi voices concerns over tyre life

Nine-time world champion Valentino Rossi has finally found a setup that allows him to get within half a second of the fastest men into MotoGP but he is now worried he will not have suffificient grip to maintain it past half race distance.

Nine-time world champion Valentino Rossi has finally found a setup that allows him to get within half a second of the fastest men into MotoGP but he is now worried he will not have suffificient grip to maintain it past half race distance.

Both Rossi and team-mate Nicky Hayden found settings today that enabled them to run with the Yamahas of Lorenzo and Spies but the Ducati pair say they now need to adjust the setting to make the tyre last for more than one fast lap.

"I'm happy about the gap to first position which is just four-tenths. it is a good step for us, the bike is quite good and we can push more than in Silverstone and we are closer to the to guys. Unfortnately, after some laps, we have too much problem with the rear grip and about the race pace we are not fantastic," said The Doctor, speaking to bikesportnews.com this evening.

"Both me and Nicky are quite fast with the new tyres but after some lap we lose a bit too much in the race pace compared to the other guys. For tomorrow we have to work under the point of view, modify a bit the setting for to create some better rear grip, slide the tyre less and make less temperature to have better life for the second part of the race. We have to improve the rear with lose the feeling on the front." 

By David Miller

Image by Bonnie Lane