Sepang MotoGP: Valentino Rossi relieved at fast pace

Valentino Rossi got another pleasant surprise today when he topped the timesheets in opening practice for the Sepang MotoGP race.

Unsure how his damaged right shoulder would react just five days after his brilliant last-gasp third place in Japan, the 31-year-old cut a relieved figure in Malaysia tonight after setting the fastest time.

Rossi had been worried that the physical exertion of the Twin Ring Motegi weekend would leave him weakened for the gruelling challenge of Sepang’s heat and humidity.

Temperatures today nudged nearly 40 degrees but the Fiat Yamaha rider was in impressive form as he goes in search of a ninth podium in 11 starts at Sepang.

Ten minutes of the session remained when Rossi clocked his best lap of 2.02.724 to finish 0.109s clear of fellow Italian Andrea Dovizioso.

Rossi, who clinched the 2009 world title at Sepang, said: “It is very good to be in front because it was a difficult practice. It was very hot and the track was quite dirty, it was very difficult to control the bike and we slide quite a lot. But I feel quite good and the shoulder doesn’t give me a lot of problem. I am just worried about 20-laps in the race because after some laps I start to suffer with a lack of power. But we expect this.”

Rossi said the Sepang weekend was the perfect opportunity for him to gauge the fitness level with his right shoulder. Severe tendon damage Rossi suffered in a motocross training accident back in April has hindered him ever since.

He said: “It was very important to come here because it is the only track where we try this bike with these tyres with me at 100 per cent in the winter. It is important to understand how much the problem of the shoulder is. But anyway, 100 per cent I will make the surgery. Even if I can ride well I am not at the maximum. It is also a good track to try and make the best because I am always very fast in Sepang. I think of the last four races, here and Phillip Island we have to try and get the good results.”

Like most of the MotoGP field, Rossi complained of rear grip issues this afternoon with dirty track conditions not helping lower lap times.

The nine-times world champion said: “It is very bad and the track is in a bad condition, mainly because of the dirt. There is not much grip and the temperature doesn’t help because the surface is over 50 degrees and that makes it the worst condition to try and ride at the maximum. But usually this track it comes a lot better with some more laps and I think it is possible to go quite a lot faster. Now we are quite far from the lap times of the past but you can see on the data, every time you open the throttle, the acceleration was much faster in the test.”

Rossi was clearly relieved that his shoulder was not put under severe stress on the second longest track on the premier class calendar and he told MCN: “It was a good surprise and I was very relieved. The target for these two races is to improve my best result that is third place. I make three podiums but always third. So I am happy if I arrive first or second.”