Valentino Rossi will be drawing on his unrivalled winning streak at the Italian MotoGP as he strives to reclaim the championship lead from team-mate Jorge Lorenzo.
‘The Doctor’ has won the past seven MotoGP races at the Mugello track, which is in the Tuscan region, and with just a point separating Lorenzo, Rossi and Australia’s Casey Stoner after four rounds, that record - and local knowledge - could again prove decisive.
After recording his worst-ever MotoGP finish when last two weeks ago at Le Mans, a lack of motivation won’t be a factor for the nine-time world champion.
“I always look forward to this race. It’s very busy for me but I have so many amazing memories. Let’s hope to create some more this weekend.”
Following his dominant performance at the French Grand Prix, Lorenzo could be the one to end Rossi’s Mugello winning streak.
Stoner, an adopted son of the Italian crowd on board his Ducati, heads to Italy coming off a disappointing fifth at Le Mans. FOXSports
Had Rossi won at Le Mans he would be seeking his 100th grand prix victory tomorrow, in front of his home crowd at Mugello. Instead, he’ll be chasing victory number 99. He has an enviable record at the Tuscan track, having scored nine wins – the last seven consecutively – and the place erupts whenever it happens. No other circuit has an atmosphere to match it.
There is something magical about Mugello and the enduring relationship between fans and rider, an extraordinary bond that inspires the occupant of bike No 46 to perform beyond even his own stellar standards. If there’s one place that’s guaranteed to lift the Italian’s spirits after Le Mans, this is it.
Another Italian rider enjoyed a very different experience a fortnight ago. Marco Melandri was all but written off last season after a miserable time with Ducati, but he rode what was possibly the race of his life in France to finish second on the Hayate Racing Kawasaki Ninja ZXRR, underlining what a huge shame it is that there are no plans to continue its development. The 27-year-old now lies fifth in the standings, an amazing feat for a rider who thought he was unemployed just a few weeks before the season began. Many hoped for more from his Ducati successor, Nicky Hayden, but the American is struggling. Telegraph.co.uk
| 
|