Rossi: Two-in-a-row 'important' chance

Could MotoGP's first-ever back-to-back races at the same circuit finally provide Valentino Rossi and Yamaha with the clue needed to solve his rear tyre problems?

While Rossi was in just tenth place when he suffered a technical problem in the latter stages of Sunday's Jerez season-opener, the other Yamahas of Fabio Quartararo, Maverick Vinales and Franco Morbidelli were covered by 6.8s as they finished first, second and fifth respectively.

Morbidelli's form was especially interesting.

Rossi's friend and VR46 protegee often struggled with similar tyre issues to the nine-time world champion last season. But on the evidence of the opening race, Morbidelli has made good progress over the winter on the A-spec bike.

Asked on Thursday if Yamaha had any new ideas to try this weekend and whether some of the changes made by Morbidelli could prove useful, Rossi replied: "About Frankie, I don't know. About us, we will change something for sure to try to fix the problem."

And the first of five chances this season to race at the same track on consecutive weekends offers an 'important' opportunity to know if those changes are in the right direction.

"Racing twice in a row at the same circuit is very strange," Rossi said. "But for us, it's important because we will have more time to try different things to improve the problem and be stronger because the first weekend was difficult."

Rossi denied that having a new-to-MotoGP crew chief, David Munoz, for this season is complicating the matter.

"The problem I had during the first race was very similar [to last year's rear tyre problem] but it's also true that it was just the first race and we need more time," he said. "I'm happy to have David and now we have to try to fix the problem, improve and be stronger."

The biggest topic on the opening day of the 'Andalucia MotoGP' was the news that injured reigning MotoGP champion Marc Marquez will attempt to ride just days after surgery for a broken arm.

"For me it's impossible to say because I don't know what's happened to Marquez, I haven't seen the X-rays. When you are outside you don't know everything," Rossi said of Marquez's decision to try and compete.

"From what I see from outside, it looked like a bad injury and a lot of people were saying that Marquez would need a lot of time to come back. But he's already here after 3 days.

"Now we need to understand if he can ride the bike, because he's very brave and if he can ride the bike and make the race it's good."

Thursday also saw a special riders' briefing to address concerns that riders are not slowing down enough for yellow flags.

"Race Direction want us to take more care about the yellow flags," Rossi confirmed. "They were worried because a lot of times in the first weekend everybody pushed with the yellow flags. I think it's right, because it's very dangerous, like with Miller and Rins for example.

"But from the other side, a lot of times we don’t see the yellow flags because the yellow flags are very far from the track, because fortunately we have a lot of run-off area on MotoGP tracks and in Jerez you are always [leaning] on the edge so for us it’s very difficult to see the flag.

"So for me they need to improve the system and to use the light panel like in Formula One, so it's easier for the riders to see the yellow flag."