Rossi: tyre rules bad for the show

The Italian believes that the new rules for 2007, which force tyre manufacturers to select all of their tyres for the weekend ahead of the event, have meant that there is less competition between Michelin and Bridgestone on individual race weekends.

The new rules also limit teams to running 31 tyres on a race weekend, and Rossi feels that it needs to be changed.

"I think that in the last two races, we see that the condition is quite bad for our championship," said Rossi. "Now the tyres decide all the results.

"We have one moment where Bridgestone go faster and all the riders of Bridgestone are faster, or one moment where Michelin go faster. But you never have the battle at the same level."

Rossi was the top Michelin runner last weekend at Laguna Seca, where he struggled on his way to a fourth place finish. However, the week before in Germany, championship leader Casey Stoner could only manage fifth place on a weekend where Bridgestone struggled.

Rossi added that he understood why Bridgestone had called for a rule change last year, as Michelin was able to make tyres during the weekend and bring them to the European races.

"Bridgestone said Michelin have an advantage to make the tyre during the weekend, I agree," he said. "But this rule is not good. We need more tyres.

"Like this is very bad for the show. All the fans like the riders and the manufacturers. Nobody is a Michelin or a Bridgestone fan.

"So the people looking on television say: 'why now Rossi lose 30 seconds, and last time Stoner lose 30 seconds?'

"The problem is for the show and for the people, and for the riders, and for the manufacturers that put in a lot of money. At the end is the tyre decides."