Rossi encouraged by pace in wet

The world champion was fourth quickest in the afternoon, having been sixth in the dry in the morning.

"I'm happy especially about the wet practice, because after my accident I've only ridden the bike in the wet at Brno in the warm-up, and it was very, very bad, so I need some kilometres to come back to the right pace with a good feeling," said Rossi.

"In the wet I am in the fourth place, not far from the top, and I'm happy because I can improve - tomorrow we have some modifications to try. So it's a good day of testing, and to ride a little bit in the wet is positive for me to come back to the right feeling."

He also felt the wet track had been kinder to his shoulder, which has remained problematic since his April Motocross crash, and may yet require surgery in the winter. But he said he had accepted that he would just have to cope with the discomfort in the remaining six races.

"In the wet it was better, in the dry I had some problems," said Rossi. "I have three right corners where I have some pain. After this morning I already had more pain than yesterday.

"But now the situation is clear - the shoulder will remain like this. We have to stay with the problem and do the maximum with the problem."