Valentino Rossi was last of the four Yamaha riders on day⭕-one of the German MotoGP, as the nine-time world champion finished 21st after suffering a crash at turn one. 

Rossi is 𒅌the🅰 only current MotoGP rider to have won a race at Sachsenring that’s not named Marc Marquez - last of his five wins coming in 2009. 

However, it looks like another tough weekend is in store for thﷺe Italian, as a ‘small crash’ at turn one just before the 🐽FP2 time-attacks began made ‘me lose confidence’. 

Speaking after Friday’s practice, Rossi said: "It’s very difficult because it is so hot, never been so hot in Germany in all the history; I mean when we race here.&nbs๊p;

"In the afternoon we try the harder tyre, the hard front, the hard rear, and in the second exit (second run), my pace was not so bad because I was able to stay in the 22s low.&nbs൲p;

"But unfortunately at the end of the run I did a small crash in thജe turn one. This makes me lose confidence and also🎃 I have to change bike. 

"It’s a shame because I feel bett♍er with the other bike, and for the time-attack I made aꦺ mistake in the last section, if not I can do better. 

"But anyway, it’s very difficult because everybody is very fast 🧜and it’s very close. I lose a bit too much in the section three."

In re💎cent years w🃏e’ve seen turn 11 - ‘Waterfall’ corner that leads into a steep downhill to turn 12 be a hazardous place for crashes, due to the right side of the tyre getting particularly cold. 

But with higher temperatures today than riders usuall🔯y experience at Sachsenring, this was one of two reasons why Rossi felt turn 11 allowed riders to carry more speed, while limiting the risk - no riders came undone at the section of the layout.  

"First🍒 of all we improve the situation because now the tyre is a double compound, so th𝓰e right is a lot softer and you feel better the front," added Rossi.  

"Butඣ like you said, with more temperature you have l🎀ess problems and you can make the turn 11 a bit faster. 

"You always have to keep attention because the layout of the t🦹rack is very 💫strange, but you can make the corner a bit faster."