Rossi forecasts 'strange, unpredictable' race

Sunday's Catalunya MotoGP could become a 'strange, strategic and unpredictable' race.

That's according to Valentino Rossi, who believes the combination of close lap times, a surface that gets slippery as the temperature rises, a 'difficult' front tyre allocation and coating of Moto2 race rubber could shake up the order.

"For me, like in Mugello, tomorrow will be a strange race because we don’t have the right front tyre," said Rossi, who qualified in seventh position.

"The tyre allocation from Michelin is difficult, not right. So at the end the soft is too soft, the medium don’t have grip. So it will be very difficult and maybe a very strategic race. Depends very much from the tyre choice, but it's not easy."

Asked to respond to Rossi's comments, Michelin Motorsport Two-Wheel Manager Piero Taramasso said:

"This year the rules changed and we have to announce the tyre specification [for each race] to the teams at the beginning of the season. So we had to give the list in February for the Barcelona race, knowing it is a new asphalt, never tested [at that time].

"So we made our [intial] choice. Then when we came here three weeks ago we did the test and the riders chose the [final] tyres.

"We started out with four fronts and four rears. Everybody agreed about the three rears. For the front, the soft and the hard were almost fixed because we needed soft for low temperature and hard for high temperature.

"Then there was a choice between two mediums and the majority chose the medium that is here. 13 riders wanted it and the other 6 at the test - including Jorge and Valentino - the other. We went with the majority, as we did last year when we changed the front construction."

Rossi continued: "The grip of the [new track surface] if you compare to last year is a lot better. But in the afternoon with a lot of temperature it's tricky, less grip.

"In the morning the track is fantastic. In the afternoon everything becomes more difficult. Especially if the temperature of the asphalt goes around 50 degrees. So we hope for some cloud!

"Also tomorrow we have the problem of the Moto2 rubber on the track, that sometimes - especially when it's very hot - makes the track very slippery for us.

"So it looks like it's another unpredictable race. We will see."

As things currently stand, Rossi confirmed that the front row of Jorge Lorenzo (Ducati), Marc Marquez (Honda) and Andrea Dovizioso (Ducati) are the riders to beat for pace.

"It looks like the two Ducatis are a bit stronger than us, especially Lorenzo, and also I think Marquez is very good," he said.

"And after you have a big group very close in the rhythm like me, Maverick, Iannone, Petrucci, Zarco. So we are there and we will try for sure the maximum. It’s just Saturday so something can change for tomorrow and we'll see."

But Rossi admitted he wouldn't be surprised to see Lorenzo repeat his Mugello victory.

"On paper, yes. Because at the moment he is faster than Dovi. Marquez is more close. He is more similar to Lorenzo. But looks like Lorenzo is the faster."

The Movistar Yamaha rider was unhappy with his own qualifying effort and felt he could have snared a place on the second row.

"I'm not so happy because I think that I can do better and I have the potential and speed to start from the second row, that was realistically my target," said the nine time world champion.

"I was good until section three, because I was two tenths faster than my lap time, but unfortunately I did a mistake in Turn 10. I braked too deep. I re-try and was able to improve but it was not enough for the second row."

Rossi starts the race second in the world championship, 23 points behind Marquez.

Team-mate Maverick Vinales will start the race from fourth place, as the top Yamaha rider.

Rossi and Vinales struggled to eighth and tenth in last year's Barcelona race, with the circuit resurfaced over the winter.