Valentino Rossi said he was
aiming for a top-three finish in this season at Wednesday's
presentation of his team's new race bike, the Yamaha M1, while
not ruling out the possibility of notching his 10th world title.
The Italian bounced back last season, coming second to
21-year-old Spanish ace Marc Marquez, after several
disappointing campaigns, including two winless years at Ducati.
"My aim for the season that's about to start is to fight
in the first three positions," the 35-year-old told reporters in
Madrid ahead of his 20th grand-prix campaign.
"I need to take a further step forward to be able to think
about winning the championship and being at the same level and
Marquez and (teammate Jorge) Lorenzo throughout the season".
The new M1 bike looks similar to its 2014 predecessor, but
many changes have been made to the interior that Yamaha hope
will bring it up to the level of Marquez's Honda.
"We've already tried some prototypes," Rossi said.
"But we have't yet ridden on the definitive 2015 version
of our M1 and so we're all ready excited about the test we'll do
in Sepang (Malaysia) next week".
Rossi, who won seven of his world titles in the premium
class, is a resurgent force after changing his diet-and-fitness
regime and bringing in Silvano Galbusera as his crew chief after
ending his long relationship with Jeremy Burgess.
He is second in motorcycling's all-time race-win standings
with 108 victories, behind his compatriot Giacomo Agostini, who
won 122 grands prix in various classes in the 1960s and 70s.
"I have even more desire to win than in the past," Rossi,
whose Yamaha contract runs until the end of 2016, said in
Madrid.
"I've been racing for a long time and I'll keep going as
long I can stay at the top...
"The 2014 season was very important to understand my level
of competitiveness after so many years in MotoGP.
"We did good races and eventually I ended up right behind
Marquez in the overall standing, so I have every reason to be
happy about last year.
"Now I want more. I am fully focused on a good start of
the new season and I want to be immediately competitive.
"Silvano is now in his second year with me and now he has
all the information he needs to allow me to go even faster at
every track. I too am feeling well so there are all conditions
for an exciting season.
"I will just be focused on delivering my best, on winning
as many races as I can. So yes, I am also thinking to my 10th
title".
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