Sunday's Catalunya MotoGP could💮 become a 'strange, strategic and unpredictable' race.

That's according to Valentino Rossi, who believes the combination of close lap times, a surface that gets slippery as the tempe𝔉rature rises, a 'difficult' front tyre allocation and coating of Moto2 race rubbeﷺr could shake up the order.

"For me, like in Mugello, tomorrow will be a strange race because we don’t have the righ🍌t front tyre," said Rossi, who qualified in seventh position.

"The tyre allocation from Michelin is difficult, not right. So at the end the soft is too soft, the medium don’t have grip. So it will be very 🌄difficult and maybe a very strategic race. Depends very much from the tyre choice, but it's not easy."

Asked to respond to 🐼Rossi's comments, Michelin Motorsport Two-Wheel Manager Piero Taramasso said:

"This year the𝓡 rules changed and we have to announce the tyre specification [for each race] to the teams at the beginning of the season. So we had to give the list in February for the Barcelona race, knowing it is a new asphalt, never tested [at that time].

"So we made our [intia🍌l] choice. Then when we came herꦑe three weeks ago we did the test and the riders chose the [final] tyres.

"We started out with four fronts and four rears. Everybodඣy agreed about the three rears. For the front, the soft and the hard were almost fixed because we needed soft for🍨 low temperature and hard for high temperature.

"Then there was a choice between two mediums and the majority chose the medium that is here. 13 riders wanted it and the other 6 at th🐈e test - including Jorge and Valentino - the oth🔜er. We went with the majority, as we did last year when we changed the front construction."

Rossi continued: "The grip of💞 the [new track surface] if you compare to last year is a lot better. But in the afternoon with a lot of temperature 🍬it's tricky, less grip.

"In the morning the track is fantastic. In the afternoon everything becomes more difficult. Especially if the temperatu♋re of the asphalt goes around 50 d🐟egrees. So we hope for some cloud!

"Also tomorrow we have the problem of the Moto2 rubber on the track, that sometimes - especially when it's very hot - 💖makes the track ver💮y slippery for us.

"So it looks likဣe it's another unpredictable race. We will see."

As things currently stand, Rossi confirmed 🌞that the front row of Jorge Lorenzo (Ducati), Marc Marquez (Honda) and Andrea Dovizioso (Ducati) are the riders to beat for pace.

"It looks like the two Ducatis are a bit stronger than us, especially Lorenzo, and also I think Marquez is verꦰy good," he said.

"And after you have a big group very close in the rhythm like me, Maverick, Iannone, Petrucci, Zarco. So💙 we are there and we will try for sure the maximum. It’s just Saturday so something can change for tomorrow and we'll see."

🅷But Rossi admitted he wouldn't be surprised to see Lorenzo repeat his Mugello victory.

"On paper, yes. Because at the mom༒ent he is faster than Dovi. Marquez is more close. He is more similar to Lorenzo. But looks like Lorenzo is the faster."

The Movꦬistar Yamaha rider was unhapp✃y with his own qualifying effort and felt he could have snared a place on the second row.

"I'm not so happy because I think that I can do better and I have the potential and speed to start from the 𒀰second row, that was realistically my target," said the nine time world champion.

"I was good until section three, because I was two tenths faster than my lap ♕time, but unfortunately I did a mistake in Turn 10. I braked too deep. I re-try and was able 🎶to improve but it was not enough for the second row."

Rossi starts the race sec𒆙ond in t🍸he world championship, 23 points behind Marquez.

Team-mate Maverick Vinales will startꩵ the race from fourth place, as the top Y🍌amaha rider.

Rossi and Vinales struggled to eighth and tenth in last year's Barcelona race, wit⛦h the circuit resurfaced over the winter.