Rossi laments poor track conditions

The crowd hero set the tenth fastest time in the first free practice session, when the track went from wet todry, and then fourth in the second hour, when the circuit was absolutely soaked.

And the seven-time world champion admitted afterwards that he had seen no point in taking risks in wet free practice.

"There was really a lot of water here today! It's a pity because it's wonderful here when it's sunny and I think that like this it's not so fun for the fans, plus we've really lost a whole day of practice because it seems it's going to be dry from now on!" he said.

"This morning was very tricky with the track quite patchy, so I preferred to take it easy in these conditions."

Rossi admitted however that the afternoon session had been useful in that it gave him a valuable opportunity to sample Bridgestone's wet tyres and work on the Yamaha M1's rain set-up.

"This afternoon was very useful however and we were able to make some important modifications to our wet set-up, which enabled us to go quite fast at the end and finish fourth," he said.

"At the start of the session it was so wet that it felt a bit dangerous, so it was necessary to be very careful, but it was better in the second half and I am glad we've had this session because it reassures us that we're fast also in the wet.

"From now on here I think, and hope, that it's going to be dry so we will start again tomorrow," he added. "Missing one day like this means that our setting for Sunday in the dry won't be as perfect as it might have been, but anyway we would still prefer it to be dry, for us and for the fans!"