---
title: "Rossi: Starting from the front row is very good"
canonical: "https://readmotorsport.com/2016/10/29/rossi-starting-front-row-good/"
type: "post"
language: "en-GB"
author: "Lewis Duncan"
section: "MotoGP News"
published: "2016-10-29T13:04:20Z"
modified: "2016-10-29T13:04:20Z"
---

# Rossi: Starting from the front row is very good

Movistar Yamaha’s Valentino Rossi is satisfied with second on the grid for tomorrow’s 20-lap Malaysian Grand Prix, though foresees a tough race ahead.

The Italian started the weekend off well, ending Friday fifth on the time sheets and feeling relatively happy with his YZR-M1. Rossi improved again this morning in FP3, heading into qualifying with the fourth fastest time and just a tenth of a second off the pace.

FP4 was slightly more difficult for the Italian, as he struggled to get his bike set up for the wet conditions. But the information gained from that session allowed his team to make changes to his bike in time for qualifying, and these yielded positive results for the six-time Malaysian Grand Prix winner.

Rossi headed out on the harder Michelin wet tyres at the start of QP2, admitting afterwards that it was a ‘difficult session’. With only 15 minutes available in the session and the lap at Sepang a long one, the Italian had to push hard to generate heat in the tyres whilst avoiding silly mistakes. In the closing seconds of QP2, the Doctor put in a 2m11.731s to pip teammate Jorge Lorenzo to second on the grid by just a few hundredths.

The Yamaha rider says that he is much more comfortable on the bike following FP4, highlighting an improvement to the overall set-up but in particular under braking. Admitting that he’ll ‘have to work’ tomorrow, he is still satisfied with the front row.

“It was a difficult session and completely different from normal. In qualifying you usually have two laps and after that another new tyre and another two laps,” he explained.

“Today we had to start, try to not make any mistakes, put temperature into the tyres, but at the same time you have to push. Second place is very good. I feel comfortable, especially because we improved both the setting and the braking compared to the FP4. We have to work, but starting from the front row is very good.”