British MotoGP: Valentino Rossi – ‘Weather to play vital role'

Reigning MotoGP world champion Valentino Rossi reckons the temperamental British weather could play a decisive role in his bid to win a sixth premier class race at Donington Park.

The Italian’s last success at the Leicestershire came in diabolical conditions in 2005 and Casey Stoner’s victories in 2007 and ’08 also came in weather-hit 30-lap races. And Rossi, who is desperate to notch his 102nd victory in the last British GP at Donington Park for at least five years, said the rain could be crucial on Sunday as he looks to extend his 14-point lead over Fiat Yamaha team-mate Jorge Lorenzo.

The 30-year-old, who has won three out of the last four races, said: “It is the famous English weather so sometimes you have to fight with the rain, the cold and also the wind. The weather is going to be so important for the weekend as always.

“It is important to make some laps in the dry because this track is famous for a lack of grip in the rain and you need to set up the bike for as much as grip as possible to cope with the surface that is not very kind with the tyres. In the rain also this track is very difficult because a lot of corners have different camber and it can be tricky.

“And when it rains it can also make it very cold, so it could be difficult conditions.” In the two rain-hit races in 2009, Rossi has had a nightmare. In Le Mans he switched to slick tyres on a drying track but crashed out and in his golden run in his home race at Mugello saw him finish only third in another wet to dry flag-to-flag encounter.

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