MotoGP – Misano QP1 – Valentino Rossi: "Very happy to have achieved pole"

Great pole position (the fifth of the season) today in Misano for Valentino Rossi, the thirteenth round of the 2009 world championship. The rider from Pesaro managed to win it right under the checkered flag after "aborting" a lap due to traffic. Of fundamental importance, as underlined by Rossi, is the speed of changing tires in the pits. The word is up to him.

“We expected it to be a little cooler today, but in the end it wasn't that different from yesterday and it's still a very difficult job for all the riders. This afternoon there wasn't much grip and we found it a little more difficult with race pace, but then we made a second round of changes and everything went well. I am very happy to have achieved pole position here in Misano. I thank the Team because they changed the tire in the time of an F1 pit stop so thanks to them! We know it will be a very difficult race tomorrow, but we are in good shape. Someone wonders about my helmet… I have the donkey, because in Italy, if you make a stupid mistake we say you're a donkey. I made a mistake in Indy so that's why! I think it's fun!”