Mugello MotoGP: Valentino Rossi in pain but fast

Valentino Rossi made a blistering start to his home race in Mugello today despite suffering more pain from a badly damaged right shoulder.

The Italian was in ominous form to dominate the opening practice session in his quest for a tenth victory on home soil on Sunday.

Rossi clocked a best time of 1.49.751 and only Jorge Lorenzo and compatriot Loris Capirossi were able to lap inside of a second of the reigning world champion.

Rossi was a massive 0.369s clear of Fiat Yamaha team-mate and world championship leader Lorenzo while Capirossi was a further 0.239s back in third place.

The 31-year-old was delighted to have made such a fast start to his home race but he expressed concern that he would suffer in the 23-lap race.

Rossi admitted he underestimated the damage caused to his right shoulder after a motocross training accident in Italy in April.

Rossi, who may require surgery on the shoulder at the end of the season, said:

“My shoulder gives me some pain and the condition is just a little bit better than Le Mans. It is better on the change of direction and to stay behind the fairing is easy on the straight.

“In Le Mans and Jerez this was a big problem so this has improved. But I have pain under hard braking but this track helps compared to Le Mans because it is more flowing and less hard braking.

“We made a mistake because we underestimated the problem. I needed to wait some weeks after the crash to have everything clear. So I am upset but I don’t think that if I would have known earlier that it would have made it better.

“It is just better for the mind because if you know you have problem for three months then you get angry but you get ready for the situation. But when you wait week by week because you think you come back at 100 per cent in one month, then you become angrier every day.

“You are upset and you are also scared because you say,  ‘why does this happen?’ But now the situation is clear and I know I am in the s**t for a period so I prefer to know this.”

Rossi was also happy to have solved some of the rear set-up issues that left him unable to push Lorenzo closer for the victory in Le Mans and Jerez.

He said: “We made a big improvement with the setting to gain some rear grip and better agility. I tried four different settings during practice and with the last one I am happy and I was fast.

“This was the biggest improvement. I’m constant but the big question mark is with the tyres. We can use the soft or hard, both front and rear.”

Rossi also explained his new Mohican haircut, which he sported for the first time today. He added: 

“For a long time I wanted to cut my hair like this and now is the right moment because I ah doling hair and I want dot cut for the summer so I made something special for Mugello, something more aggressive.  It is a haircut for a battle.”