Chatting in the paddock on Saturday evening at Mugello last year, after Valentino Rossi had become the oldest rider to claim pole position in the pr🐷emier-class since Jack Findlay in 1974, one of his mechanics sa🔯id:

'ജPeople talk about his age, how long he's been doing this and how he's still so motivated. But they forget he's also just plai𓄧n fast. I mean, today the bike was good enough for the front two rows. He made the difference'.

The 39-year-old's lap of 1m 46.208s was a new all-time Mugello record despite a 10km/h top speed disadvantage t⛄o the Ducatis, who went on to finish first and second, with Rossi completing the rostrum above the adoring fans.

While Rossi hasn't taken a Mugello victory since the stunning unbeaten home run from 2002-20♛08, he's been on the podium and/or qualified on the front row for the past five years.

The Yamaha top speed deficit will be even more of a burden in 2019, with Honda set to challenge Ducati for supremacy on the fast𝔍est straight of the season.

But Rossi - who has opted for the older Yamaha fairing at most races this year, due to its lower drag on the straight (but also downforce) compared to the latest design - is confident they can 'defend' and few would rule out💖 another dose of Mugello magic from the🧸 Italian during the weekend.

"I'm glad it's time for Mugello, it‘s a special weekend and a special race for all the Ital🔜ian riders," Rossi said. "It has a fantastic atmosphere, but it's also a bit tricky to manage with all thಞe fans, but it‘s really great.

"This is one of the most beautiful race t☂racks of the year. It's a track I really lik𒆙e, but it will be hard because everybody is very fast.

"Mugello does have less acceleration from a low speed, so I think we could be faster than in Le Mans, but it is also 🌼true that there is a very long straight. Surely this will be our weak point, but ifﷺ we work well, we can defend ourselves.

"We need to⛄ try our best to be competitive and give the maximum."

The Doctor has taken two podiums and one front-row start this season, while leading eight laps and holding fourth in the world championship standings, 23 point⛎s from Marc Marquez (Honda).

Last year's Mugello pole ended a 25-event ba🃏rren run for Rossi, who has now gone 32 races without a MotoGPܫ victory.

“Valentino is always highly motivated, but this weekend perhaps even more so, if that‘s possible, because he is on home soil and he was close to a podium at ღthe last GP," said team director Massimo Meregalli.

Petronas Yamaha's💎 Franco Morbidelli is the next best Yamaha, in eighth, heading into Mugello. Rossi's factory team-mate Maverick Vinales is tenth in the standings.