MotoGP series leader Valentino Rossi goes into his home race at Misano this weekend expecting to be under pressure to perform in front of his home fans but also knows team-mate and title rival Jorge Lorenzo is equally strong at the Italian track.

After victory last time out at Silverstone, Rossi carries a 12-point advantage over his Spanish rival but said that the gap is nothing while Lorenzo has already closed him down this season with a five-race winning streak.

“There will be a lot of pressure on me, especially from the fans, friends and family that are coming, but I like this track a lot. There is always a great atmosphere in Misano and it’s really my home race, because the track is only 10km away from Tavullia,” said Rosi.

“Last year I rode a great race, but at the same time Jorge is also very fast there, so it will be another great fight. I’ll have to manage the situation in the right way. It will be difficult, but the most important thing is that this is a place where I’m able to go fast and where Yamaha is usually very strong.”