Valentino Rossi's miserable run continued during MotoGP qualifyi𒐪ng in Portimao, where the Petronas Yamaha star was left just 1♔7th on the grid.

After the high of qualifying fourth in Qatar, the Italian dropped to 12th in the season-opening race. The rear grip problems continued with a career-worse 21st in qualifying at the following D𓆉oha weekend, where he was left 16th and outside of the points by the chequered flag.

The situation is marginally better in Portimao, but the 'worried' nine-timeꦿ world champion knows he is facing another tough race unless a🦩 last minute breakthrough can be found.

"𒈔The result is quite bad," said Rossi, who didn't progress beyond Qualifying 1 at Portimao. "Today we worked, we improved also the pace, but it was not enough.

"I still have some problems, especially in acceleration, 🎃I have a lack of grip on the edge, so we need to try something else.

"In FP4 I was quite constant but my pace is not fantast🍌ic so it will be difficult.

"Compared to the second race in Qatar I am a bit better, but anyw🐬ay I'm not in the top group. I'm a bꦍit faster compared to last year during the practice, but it's not enough to fight for the good positions.

"So for sure tomorrow wi🌺ll be hard, starting from behind and my pace is nothing fantastic, but for the warm-up we can try something else and we hope to be a bit faster."

But with the other Factory-Spec M1s of Fabio Quartararo and Maverick Vinales, which won a race ᩚᩚᩚᩚᩚᩚ⁤⁤⁤⁤ᩚ⁤⁤⁤⁤ᩚ⁤⁤⁤⁤ᩚ𒀱ᩚᩚᩚeach in Qatar, again among the pre-race favourites in Portimao, The Doctor admitted he expected more.

"The two bikes of the factory team with Quartararo and Vinales are stronger than me, they are faster, so I'm worried especially be🅠cause I expect and I want to be more compꦬetitive," he said.

"Bu𝓰t the only way is to continue to work and try step-by-step to improve."

Team-ma♎te Franco Morbidelli, riding the A-spec M1, will start from fifth on the grid.