MotoGP Raceweek: Rossi spends track day at 'forbidden' Cavallara

Catalunya, June 14: Valentino Rossi hopes a track day at "forbidden" Cavallara can help revive his MotoGP fortunes at the Catalunya Grand Prix this weekend.

The Yamaha rider's last outing at the Italian Grand Prix ended disappointingly when he crashed out, having earlier missed out on Q2.

Italian Rossi, sitting fifth in the standings, responded by returning to the track where he suffered a broken leg while training in 2017 - having previously been told to avoid it by his team and family.

"It's a good therapy, after a hard weekend like in Mugello," Rossi said.

"You need to stay concentrated and continue your programme, and after the race in Mugello, we were in Cavallara, that is the track where I injured [myself] in 2017, but it is one of my favourite tracks, it's a fantastic place, I love always to go there and I grew up there also.

"But unfortunately, before the Misano 2017 I had a crash and I had the injury, so all my team - and especially my father and all the guys around - don't let me go, for two years.

"I push always but it is forbidden for me. But this time, from the beginning of the season that we speak with [Andrea] Dovizioso and [Danilo] Petrucci, to go together one time, and they want to come to Cavallara, so I go to my father and I say, 'I've Petrucci and Dovizioso this time, we've to go.'"

Rossi, 40, says he will be competing on one of his favourite tracks in Barcelona this weekend, but has dampened expectations heading into the race.

"We arrive in a difficult moment, we aren't very fast unfortunately, but we need minimum to work better than in Mugello, to stay more concentrated, try to be strong from tomorrow and try to make the best," he added.

(With Omnisport inputs)