Valentino Rossi admits to feeling pain ‘everywhere’ after suffering a nasty highside in the early stages of the Motegi MotoGP race, and was lucky to avoid aggravating his right leg injury.
The Yamaha rider had a similar incident during the fourth free practice session at Turn 8, which left him with just one YZR-M1 for qualifying – in which he finished 12th after a gamble to run slicks backfired.
The Italian was running inside the top 10 at the end of the first lap, and moved ahead of former team-mate Jorge Lorenzo for eighth at the beginning of lap six.
Struggling for rear grip – an issue that has been present all season in wet conditions – Rossi was powerless to stop the back-end of his Yamaha coming round on him at Turn 7 on the same lap.
“It was a big crash this time,” Rossi said to crash.net.
“Also yesterday, but today more. Today Turn 7, yesterday Turn 8. It was a highside again. I was behind (Aleix) Espargaro and tried to not give up because I can keep his pace.
“But on the left (side of the tyre) I had zero grip. It was like riding on ice.
“With the constant throttle the rear (came round). It was very fast, when I realised what was happening I was already flying through the air.
“So, very lucky that the leg is OK. I have pain everywhere, but not a lot, so this is good.”
While still unsure as to why Yamaha is suffering in wet conditions with grip, Rossi concedes the issue lies with the bike and not with the tyres.
“When I ride the bike, I have a different feeling like the tyre is more soft and we suffer,” Rossi said before being told Michelin had not changed its tyre construction.
“So for sure (something) from the bike is different. If on the bike is different, something is different.
“But is also difficult to understand because, anyway, on the Honda and Ducati the tyre works, so it is our problem.”
