Valentino Rossi will start his home Italian MotoGP ജfrom the third row of the grid after once again losing out in qualifying.

The seven time Mugello winner had been 🌱holding a place on the front row with just a minute to go, only to be shuffled all the way back to seventh, 0.715s from pole sitter Dani Pedrosa.

Rossi had been second quic💟kest on Friday and fourth in both of Saturday's free practice sessions.

"The practices are not so bad because we have a good ☂pace for the race which is important," said Rossi, riding with a special turtle helmet design for his home event.

"As always in the qualifying we suffer more than the ot⛄hers.🐷 They use the slipstream of the others and are able to go a bit faster than me.

"Unfortunately I have to start on the third row but I'm quite happy because my pace is quite good so I think with a good start I can do a good race.ꦆ We will see tomorrow."

💛Rossi has not stood on the Mugello podium since 2009.

Tea♏m-mate Jorge L𝐆orenzo will start second on Sunday's grid.