MotoGP: Valentino Rossi bemoans previous Michelin MotoGP tactics

Valentino Rossi believes Michelin’s previous tactic of flying in overnight special race tyres is proving the big handicap in his bid to fight against the formidable Casey Stoner, Ducati and Bridgestone package in 2007.

This year’s new premier class tyre restrictions took away a key advantage held by Michelin over rivals Bridgestone, with the French manufacturer no longer able to fly in special rubber made overnight for its riders including factory Yamaha rider Valentino Rossi.

The Italian, who is currently under investigation by Italian authorities over £40m tax evasion, blasted the new tyre rule after his crushing defeat in Laguna Seca last month, where Bridgestone once again humbled Michelin with another clean sweep of the podium.

Valentino Rossi, who returns from the summer break this weekend in Brno trailing Ducati rival Casey Stoner by a massive 44-points, said: “The problem is that the way of working that we had with Michelin was completely different with the tyres that they could make on the weekends.

“That was a big handicap for us, because Bridgestone was already used to working in the way that is now needed. It seems that Bridgestone is working a little bit better.”