Daily Update MotoGP

With the new Yamaha/Bridgestone partnership still in its infancy, Valentino Rossi’s main focus during Monday’s Estoril test was unsurprisingly on continued tyre development.

Rossi, who has taken two podiums from his first three Bridgestone starts and holds third in the current world championship standings, will be looking to break a seven-race losing streak - since Estoril 2007 - next time out in Shanghai, a circuit where Rossi finished second to Casey Stoner’s Bridgestone-shod Ducati last year.

The Fiat Yamaha star left Estoril with the second fastest overall lap time, set with a qualifying tyre, after circulating 0.252secs behind Repsol Honda’s Dani Pedrosa.

Rossi also tested new front and rear race tyres, whilst improving set-up and ‘feeling’ during his 90 laps. Using race tyres, the Italian was able to beat his best lap - set on his way to third place - in Sunday’s grand prix.

“Today was all about tyres, set-up and our ongoing task of improving the Yamaha-Bridgestone package,” confirmed team manager Davide Brivio. “We tried new front and rear race tyres and also some new qualifying tyres, and we found some good solutions to take with us to China. We were able to improve rear grip and durability especially and these are two key areas for us.

“Valentino worked very hard today and completed 90 laps, and he deserves to be happy with a job well done. Of course we are always working on the general setting and we hope that we’re going to be arriving in China now with an even better bike than we had this weekend. Thank you to everyone for another long weekend of hard work and now there’s some time to relax before we make the trip to China.”

Rossi’s team-mate and Estoril race winner Jorge Lorenzo - currently tied with Pedrosa at the top of the world championship standings - did not test on Monday, the 20-year-old opting to undergo surgery on his right forearm to help arm-pump problems.

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