Valentino Rossi finished yesterday’s MotoGP qualifying two session at Rio Hondo some 1.760s behind poleman Marc Marquez as the lack of front-end feel he is suffering in the dry is also a problem in the wet.

Historically, you could place a safe bet on The Doctor being at the sharp end in wet or mixed conditions but the session revealed that his problems more than likely stem from the bike and not the softer-carcass front slick that Michelin have supplied in 2017.

“In the wet I don't feel very comfortable and I'm not strong like last year. I have the same feeling in corner entry. Last year I was stronger in the wet. The old bike for me was more natural. With this one I have to force it more. It is something more difficult,” said Rossi, speaking at the track.

"It means that we still have to work on the bike, on the balance, and try to make it better. We have a better understanding and improved the setting today and on the first exit I wasn’t so bad, but we still have to work. It’s interesting, there’s a different feeling in the corner entry that I have on the new bike, and it is the same also on the wet. Sometimes the wet is interesting to understand and it’s good to improve the balance and the setting.”