Q & A with Valentino Rossi

But he rebounded spectacularly in qualifying and looked set for pole position until being pipped by his Yamaha teammate Colin Edwards in the closing moments.

The Italian met the press after qualifying to talk about his weekend so far, and his expectations for the race.

Q: It was a good qualifying session for you Valentino because it has been a tough weekend for you, hasn't it?

Valentino Rossi: Yes. A lot, a lot of problems, starting yesterday with the crash after two or three laps. So today I wake up with a lot of pain in the arms. So it is a difficult day, especially with these rules.

This morning we didn't have the tyres to go with the low, low temperature so it is also dangerous because you try and put the temperature in the tyre and the grip never arrives. This track is very dangerous with the left to go downhill and (I had) two or three big slides, so it was a bad, bad practice. So for that I am very happy to be on the front row.

This afternoon we worked well, with five or six degrees more (temperature) the tyre worked and we have a good setting. It is also a pleasure because the 800 is better than the 990. It is possible to make good lines and open the throttle very quickly. So I am quite confident for tomorrow. Second place is good. I have to decide the tyres, but we have two tyres with a good rhythm.

Q: The track itself when it is wet, a lot of riders have said it is very slippery - almost too slippery?

VR: Yesterday we speak in the Safety Commission and the surface was done just three years ago. So the surface is not old. They resurfaced three years ago because they had a lot of bumps, but maybe the problem is not the airplanes but the concert of Marilyn Mansun last year. They put the Hot Dog stand in the track, so maybe the oil is not very good for the grip!

Q: Are you expecting a closer race tomorrow like Barcelona, or one even closer?

VR: For me this time for sure Dani (Pedrosa) and Casey (Stoner), but also Colin (Edwards) and (Nicky) Hayden have a good rhythm. So there is lot of importance with the first lap because the tyre, the Michelin, needs a bit more time to arrive in temperature compared to Bridgestone. But the race is 30 laps. So it is important the last 10 laps. It will be a hard battle.

Q: Tomorrow morning I guess you will be looking out of the window quickly to check on the weather conditions?

VR: Yes. We have to pray tonight for dry conditions for sure. Everybody.

Q: You fell this morning coming out of the pits. Can you explain what happened?

VR: When I crash I try to run behind the bike because I hoped nobody had seen the crash. But unfortunately there were a lot of cameras.

It was very frustrating because we didn't find the tyre for the track and bike. It was a stupid mistake as I exit from the pits. I looked behind and arrive (Marco) Melandri, so I go more wide. But when I look to the front I was already on the kerb and I go over the kerb. There was a lot and lot of mud and I crash. It was a disaster, like at the end of a wet motocross race. I was all full of mud from the helmet to the boots.

Q: You say the 800s are nice around here, but they are slower than the 990s. At other tracks they are quicker. Why is that?

VR: Yes. I think on the race pace there is not very much (difference), but a little bit yes. But last year I think Pedrosa did a fantastic job with a fantastic pole position. The lap time was incredible and also the rhythm in the race. For the others it was more difficult. For sure the acceleration from the three last corners with the 990 is different.