German MotoGP: Valentino Rossi slump shocks rivals

Casey Stoner, Jorge Lorenzo and Dani Pedrosa have all expressed their surprise at Valentino Rossi’s dismal performance at the Sachsenring this weekend.

Struggling to make the new Ducati GP11.1 competitive at the tight and twisty German track, Rossi experienced one of the worst qualifying performances of his career this afternoon.

He could only manage a best lap of 1.23.320 to finish 1.639s behind Casey Stoner’s Repsol Honda in 16th position.

And in another humbling experience for Rossi since his move to Ducati, the only rider slower than him was Loris Capirossi’s Pramac replacement Sylvain Guintoli, who was 1.387s further back.

Nobody is more surprised than Stoner, who was only winning on the Ducati Desmosedici at the back end of 2010 before he moved to HRC.

The Australian said: “I’m surprised. Obviously this is not where his talent should be but it is surprising now that they have the bike which they seemed happy with and he still seems to be struggling.”

Repsol Honda team-mate Pedrosa, who claimed a brilliant second on the grid in only his second race since returning from injury, added: “Sure it is a difficult moment for him because the results are obviously showing that. When you are not comfortable on the bike or you are not feeling good it is a tough moment. All of us have had that kind of moment like this but it is just a process.”

And reigning world champion Lorenzo said it wasn’t good for MotoGP to have its talisman struggling at the back of the field.

Rossi has only scored one podium so far in 2011 and his former bitter rival Lorenzo said: “I think he is trying and at least he’s tried in most of the races to be at the front and pushing. In the last races it seems he doesn’t have the same feeling and an even worse feeling than before.

In this competitive category it is difficult not to be far away like he is now when things are not right. It is a difficult situation for him and I think his position is not normal for him. I think we all hope that he recovers.”