Rossi urges for Michelin improvement

Valentino Rossi has urged Michelin to improve its new generation 800cc tyres with the most critical phase of the MotoGP series kicking off this weekend in Mugello.

With six races in the next eight weeks, Rossi told MCN the biggest gulf in performance between him and current series leader Casey Stoner is not the huge horsepower advantage held by the Australian’s factory Ducati GP7.

“For me our bigger problem is the tyres. In China my tyre was as good as Bridgestone so we lost only for the top speed against Stoner. But in other tracks Bridgestone has something better.

“So for me after five races our biggest limit is the tyres and we have to improve,” said the 28-year-old Italian, who is undefeated on home soil in Mugello since his second premier class campaign in 2001.

Rossi tested a series of new front and rear tyres last week in Le Mans and he said: “We are looking for more grip from the front, especially when braking going into the corner.

“I think Bridgestone is slightly better, but for me the biggest step we need is from the rear. They are able to open the throttle a little bit earlier than us.

“This is the way to follow for Michelin and they have some good tyres to try. We need more grip on the side of the tyre because with these 800 bikes we open the throttle earlier and with more lean angle, so it is important to have more edge grip.”