Marlboro Ducati's Valentino Rossi has admitted that a bad start and mistakes in warming up his Bridgestones in the early part of today's Brno MotoGP round cost him a vital two seconds that could have seen the Italian take a podium.

Rossi started the race from row two for the first time this year but wasted the chance to fight for a podium spot with mistakes in the opening laps. However, Rossi is happy the gap to the winner was a third of what it was at Laguna Seca and, crucially, Mugello which is a similar fast and flowing track. Alterations to his handlebars, offset and a 'couple of other little things' saw Rossi taking the fight to the front.

"We make a step from Saturday morning and I am happy with Ducati being clever. We make a small modify and it improves my feeling with the front on braking and entry, and for to use the front tyre it looks like the situation is better. I use more the front and heat it up in a better way, and all the parts from braking to entry I understand more that's happened on the front," said The Doctor.

"It was my target to fight with the guys in front of me but I didn't make a good start and I did some mistakes in the warming up procedures for the tyres so I was in trouble for the first two laps, I didn't have enough grip. I lose a lot, two seconds in three laps and after I make a race that was possible to arrive very close to the podium.

"We have to work and improve because the Yamahas are very strong but now we are closer. The distance from the top is less and I give up in the last two laps, if not I can stay within ten seconds instead of the 30 of the last races. If you take out Stoner we are not so far from the podium.

"For tomorrow we have something to try on the electronics, we will compare the old and new bike another time but for at this moment it is not very important as we are on another level with the GP11.1. I hope Filippo (Preziosi) arrives with another idea like (the handlebars) to take out another few tenths."