Riders impressed by flood clean-up

Parts of the track were under several feet of water after an hour-long downpour struck just before lunchtime on the practice day.

Most of Friday's sessions had to be cancelled as a result, but the water was pumped away in time for track activity to resume on schedule this morning.

"I was actually quite surprised," said Stoner.

"I really expected the two corners that were flooded yesterday to be very, very slippery, but I was very impressed after the 125cc session everything seemed to work very well this morning. There weren't any issues with a lack of grip.

"The track has improved as I've ridden on it a little more, and I'm impressed with how they got rid of the water."

Rossi agreed that the circuit had done remarkably well to recover from the freak weather conditions.

"The conditions were strange and very bad, but they did a great job," he said.

"Already from this morning the track was quite clear. Lap by lap it became better, so we already had a good grip, and I think tomorrow will be a normal race with a normal condition if the weather remains like this."

But while Stoner was positive about Misano's reaction to the floods, his opinion of the circuit layout did not improve after trying it in the dry for the first time.

"Not a heck of a lot," he replied when asked if he was feeling more positive about the track.

"In the wet you can manage a go-kart track, but today the whole first part of the circuit is just first gear, second gear, first gear. Except for the end of the backstraight, which I think are some of the best corners anywhere in the world, the rest of the circuit is just first and second gear.

"It's not really a lot of fun. You can't really get flowing. It's more difficult to manage than enjoyable."