Rossi predicts another hard race

Despite a strong start at Brno, Valentino Rossi was left trailing Casey Stoner once more at the end of Friday´s activities. The Italian is predicting another duel between the title favourites this Sunday, whilst teammate Jorge Lorenzo is aiming for a top seven finish after fitness and tyre problems.

Valentino Rossi – Second

`I´ve had a good holiday but it´s fun to be back on the bike again! Today has started very well and I am very happy with my bike and with our tyres, it seems the Bridgestones are working very well here so far. The new asphalt is good, much better than last year and the grip improved throughout the day so I think that they have done a good job. Casey is strong again here so it looks like being a hard race, but we have made a good start. Tomorrow it seems it could rain, which is a pity, but we have found a good setting today so hopefully, even if it is wet, then we will be in good shape on Sunday. We have some small engine modifications here to try but mostly we will wait until Monday to try the new parts, when we will have an important test.´

Jorge Lorenzo – Eleventh

`I am feeling very good physically, and I only feel pain when I walk to the bike in the garage – once I´m on it I am fine. I am feeling confident but I need half a second more in order to be at the front. The main problem is in the front tyre; I am worried because the first Michelin is in seventh and this isn´t great, it is clear that we all need to work together to improve this. We are working very closely together with Michelin and Yamaha and we are trying to find a better way for us here this weekend. It is very difficult at the moment to fight for the podium in the dry, and in the wet we don´t know yet. My main aim this weekend is to finish in the top seven. The new asphalt is better than last year so this is a good thing. One more thing I want to say – one of my mechanics, Juanito, has just become a grandfather and so I want to say congratulations to him!.´