Rossi explains worst-ever MotoGP qualifying result
Valentino Rossi says he was “never strong” on Saturday of the Doha Grand Prix, after registering his worst-ever MotoGP qualifying result of 21st.


The Petronas SRT Yamaha rider had to go through this evening’s Q1 session and was unable to make any impression, having admitted after Friday he wasn’t “strong enough” to fight for a top result.
In the end Rossi only managed a 1m54.881s, some 1.7 seconds slower than his Qatar GP lap which put him fourth on the grid, and 1.7s off rookie polesetter Jorge Martin on the Pramac Ducati.
This meant Rossi will line up 21st for Sunday’s race – his worst-ever Saturday result in MotoGP.

Valentino Rossi, Petronas Yamaha SRT
Photo by: Gold and Goose / Motorsport Images
Explaining what went wrong on Saturday, Rossi said: “Very difficult today because I was never strong.
“We tried to improve the feeling with the bike, with the rear, but I suffered very much.
“I have a lack of grip in acceleration and also after some laps anyway… I suffer a lot and my pace is not good.
“Also, in the qualifying with the new tyre I never have the feeling to be fast enough.
“Last week I was good with the new tyres, and like this we tried to do something for improve the life but unfortunately I’m not fast enough.
“Will be difficult, I have to start from behind. We have to understand and we will see.”
Read Also:
Rossi’s performance is in stark contrast to his Yamaha stablemates', with Maverick Vinales completing the front row on the same 2021 M1 as the Italian, with Fabio Quartararo fifth and Franco Morbidelli 10th on his ‘A-spec’ Yamaha.
Admitting he is “in trouble” with his race pace, Rossi simply hopes to not be cast too far adrift of the pack ahead of him in Sunday’s Doha GP.
“For tomorrow it’s difficult because I start behind, but I’m a lot in trouble with the pace, the pace is not fast enough,” he added.
"So, I need to try to stay with the group of the guys in front.
“Last week was a long line, so more or less everybody is in a line, so [we] don’t have a big difference between the group. So, try to stay with them and see.”
Related video

Doha MotoGP: Rookie Martin takes sensational pole, Rossi down in 21st
MotoGP Doha Grand Prix – how to watch, start time, & more

Latest news
Pol Espargaro doesn’t think Honda is reacting to MotoGP woes
Pol Espargaro isn’t sure the problems Honda is facing at races in MotoGP this season are being relayed back to Japan as “we’re not getting the material we need”.
Marc Marquez to return to MotoGP paddock at Austrian GP for Honda progress update
Marc Marquez will return to the MotoGP paddock at the Austrian Grand Prix to check up on Honda’s progress as he continues his own rehabilitation.
Rins “destroyed” after “not normal” grip issues end Silverstone MotoGP win hopes
Suzuki’s Alex Rins says he was “destroyed” after a “not normal” drop in grip shuffled him from the lead of the MotoGP British Grand Prix to seventh by the end.
Espargaro diagnosed with heel fracture after 115mph Silverstone MotoGP crash
Aprilia has confirmed Aleix Espargaro, following further medical checks on Monday, has been diagnosed with a heel fracture following his violent 115mph Silverstone MotoGP crash.
The signs Quartararo’s 2022 MotoGP title is slipping away from him
Prior to the summer break, the 2022 MotoGP title looked like it was Fabio Quartararo’s to lose. But a crash at Assen and the consequential penalty he had to serve last weekend at Silverstone stopped him from capitalising on a main rival’s injury woes, while a resurgence from another, plus the rise of a former team-mate, look set to conspire against the Yamaha rider
Why Marquez’s toughest MotoGP foe is stopping at the right time
On the eve of the British Grand Prix, Andrea Dovizioso announced that he will be retiring from MotoGP after September’s San Marino GP. The timing of his departure raised eyebrows, but his reasoning remains sensible and what has happened this year should not diminish a hard-built legacy
Why a Suzuki refugee feels he deserves MotoGP's toughest challenge
Alex Rins’ MotoGP future was plunged into sudden doubt when Suzuki elected to quit the series at the end of 2022. Securing a deal with Honda to join LCR, he will now tread a path that many have fallen off from. But it was a move he felt his status deserved, and it’s a challenge – he tells Autosport - he faces with his eyes wide open…
How Formula 1 has driven MotoGP's changing nature
The hiring of technicians from Formula 1 has clearly contributed to a recent change in the MotoGP landscape, with the role of engineers gaining greater significance relative to the riders. Here's how this shift has come about
The revolution behind Aprilia's rise from MotoGP tail-ender to pack-leader
Coinciding with the arrival of Massimo Rivola as head of its MotoGP division, Aprilia has undergone an internal revolution that has spurred it from occupying last place in the team standings to leading the table in the space of just two years. Those entrenched in the project reveal how the ex-Ferrari F1 chief has achieved the dramatic turnaround
The battle Yamaha's wayward son is fighting to be fast again in MotoGP
Franco Morbidelli was long overdue a promotion to factory machinery when it finally came late last year, having finished runner-up in the 2020 standings on an old Yamaha package. But since then the Italian has been a shadow of his former self as he toils to adapt to the 2022 M1, and recognises that he needs to change his style to be quick on it
Why Honda and Yamaha have been left behind in MotoGP's new era
The once all-conquering Japanese manufacturers are going through a difficult period in MotoGP this season. With Suzuki quitting, Honda struggling to get near the podium and Yamaha only enjoying success courtesy of Fabio Quartararo, Japanese manufacturers have been left in the dust by their European counterparts. Key paddock figures explain why.
Who is Valentino Rossi’s newest MotoGP star?
Valentino Rossi’s protégés stole the show at Assen as Francesco Bagnaia stormed to victory to arrest a recent barren run. But it was the rider in second, on Bagnaia’s old bike, who had all eyes on him. Securing his and the VR46 team’s first MotoGP podium, Marco Bezzecchi has all the characteristics that made his mentor special