Rossi slams Donington track condition

Rossi said he had been disappointed by the state of the track throughout the weekend.

"I have to say that in general the condition of the track is poor," he said. "When you are on the track you understand that it is the last time [MotoGP is racing here].

"It is the worst track for general condition in the season. Usually the asphalt is clean and you know it is ready for the start. Here it looks like they cleaned it a little bit and go for the last time, then it looks like on Monday they will start the work for the Formula 1 so they don't stay to paint the kerbs or clean it."

Ducati's Nicky Hayden echoed Rossi's comments, and felt the track conditions had been a factor in his poor performance this weekend.

"Where I've struggled the most is just getting any heat or feel into the tyres and the bike," he said. "It feels really slippery to me from mid-corner to the exit.

"When I went around the track on Thursday I couldn't believe how dirty it was. You could see where the water had been sitting. It was filthy. When they painted the kerbs I watched them paint straight over dirt instead of cleaning those and then painting them."

Rossi added that he expected the circuit to be extremely treacherous should rain hit today's race.

"Also in the rain this year the grip is very bad," he said. "At the Sachsenring it was possible to touch the knee [to the ground], to ride with good angles. Here it is very, very tricky to ride the bike.

"So if I have to do 30 laps in the wet in the race it will be very difficult. I'll have to stay quiet and concentrated for 30 laps, take a rhythm and go. But for the wet we are not so bad and I feel confident with the bike."