Rossi: Not fantastic, but better

Having started outside the top ten for the last two races, Valentino Rossi was reasonably satisfied with seventh position at the end of a 'tricky' MotoGP qualifying in Brno.

While the top two of Marc Marquez and Jack Miller made a brave switch to slicks on the drying track, Rossi elected to remain on wet tyres.

"I was behind Miller, who was with the slicks, and he rode very well, he stayed on the dry line and also on the wet patches with the slick tyre he was fast," Rossi said.

"But unfortunately after, in the last chicane, it started to rain a little bit and he crashed. I think that he could make a good lap but anyway not as good as Marquez.

"For sure you have to be very brave[to fit slicks], looks like the for us, with the M1, our bike is not fantastic in these conditions because it's very difficult to understand the limit.

"I wanted to try to put the slicks before, but unfortunately it was too wet. Then when I made my final pit stop for me it was too late [to change] because with just two laps with new slick tyres in these conditions, I'm sure I'm not able to improve.

"So I just changed the rear [wet] and for me personally it was the right choice because I improved my position and I can start from the third row. It's not fantastic for sure, but it's a lot better than the last races because we are not so far from the top guys.

"Now the forecast for tomorrow is good, dry and sun, and we hope that we can have also a dry warm-up because like everybody we need to work a lot on the setting and especially the tyre choice.

"Tomorrow everything is open, especially the rear tyre. Everybody is a little bit worried because after some laps it starts to slide a lot."

Rossi - ninth fastest in the dry on Friday - was the top Yamaha in qualifying, with team-mate Maverick Vinales claiming ninth on the grid.

The Doctor will now be seeking his first top-seven finish since Le Mans in May, at a track where he took his debut grand prix victory in 1996.