Rossi braced for tough Silverstone

The Yamaha pair are locked at the top of the standings on 211 points with seven races remaining, 52 ahead of Honda's reigning world champion Marc Marquez, following Lorenzo's fifth victory of the season at Brno.

Rossi was a distant third, having lost ground off the start then failing to find a rhythm, and the Italian isn't expecting a major turnaround at Silverstone.

Lorenzo has won three of the circuit's five MotoGP races, while Rossi has just the one podium, third last year.

When asked to nominate the circuit he's least looking forward to on the run home, Rossi replied: "Silverstone is difficult.

"In the past, I've struggled, but last year was a little bit better also.

"Always Jorge is very strong, from the first year MotoGP raced."

Rossi is, though, resolute that he will be able to fight Lorenzo's run of momentum and maintain a serious bid to win a seventh top-flight title.

"It's difficult to say because each year is a little bit different," he said.

"On paper, I think every track Jorge is stronger than me but also [there are some] tracks where we are very equal.

"I think this is not the way to think, the way to think is to try to understand the way to go faster in Silverstone.

"This is the way, step by step, weekend by weekend.

"Start to study the track and try to be ready for all of the conditions - for sure Silverstone can have different conditions, it can be cold, it can rain, it's a very difficult track, it's very long.

"This is the way, we'll try to think for Silverstone and see after the next race."