The spectacular surroundings of Tuscany’s Mugello circuit welcomed the MotoGP World Championship on Thursday, with intermittent rain showers doing nothing to dampen the atmosphere ahead of this weekend’s Gran Premio d’Italia Alice. One of the favourite events of the year for the teams and the riders, the Italian festivities will reach fever pitch on Sunday when Valentino Rossi attempts to build on his recent consecutive pair of victories in China and France with a seventh straight Mugello triumph, as he seeks to keep his MotoGP title momentum going on home soil. Alongside fellow Italians Loris Capirossi (Rizla Suzuki), Andrea Dovizioso (JiR Team Scot) and Marco Melandri (Ducati Marlboro) and the USA’s 2006 World Champion Nicky Hayden (Repsol Honda), standings leader Rossi was understandably the centre of attention in this afternoon’s pre-event press conference. The Fiat Yamaha star commented, ‘It is a special race for me and all the Italian riders because it is our home Grand Prix and also because the track is fantastic, maybe one of the best ones of the year. Plus with the crowd, especially on a Sunday it is great, with so many people. Also, I have always been quite fast here!’ Ahead of the press conference circuit director Mario Almondo announced the intention to stage music events at Mugello in the coming months as he officially unveiled some improvements to the facilities at the Italian track, including an extra tier of hospitality boxes. Earlier in the day a Tuscan farm close to the small town of Borgo San Lorenzo, next to Mugello, was the venue for Thursday’s official pre-event promotion. Alex de Angelis (San Carlo Honda Gresini) was joined by fellow premier class stars Sylvain Guintoli and Toni Elias (Alice Team) and Italians Mattia Pasini (250cc, Polaris World) and Simone Corsi (125cc, Jack & Jones WRB) on the visit. The riders got some insider tips from a local farmer on beekeeping and traditional honey production, before posing for photos in full beekeepers´ outfits and later tasting some of the farm’s honey with some Italian bread.