planetearth
There Can Be Only One
Number of posts : 3271
Registration date : 2007-02-03
 |  Subject: 'Rossi: Our aim is very simple - to win!'  Tue Mar 06, 2007 6:25 pm | |
| - Quote :
- Valentino Rossi has had just one thought in his mind since this handshake with new MotoGP world champion Nicky Hayden; to tear the title back from the American in 2007.
And few would bet against it.
Rossi's uncharacteristic mistake in last season's Valencian title decider, plus his subsequent rally appearances, may have caused some to question his concentration and even commitment - but such whispers soon evaporated when the Yamaha star immersed himself into a relentless winter testing programme that saw the new 800cc M1 grow in effectiveness with almost every outing.
Indeed, in complete contrast to one year ago, Rossi finished the final pre-season test fastest of all and with no significant concerns to speak of - a worrying thought for his rivals as the field prepares for the first ever 800cc grand prix, at Qatar, a track where Rossi has won twice from three appearances.
"After the great test in Jerez we're going to the first race feeling confident and happy," said Rossi. "Last year we had some problems at the final test that left us feeling worried going to the first race but more than anything Jerez proved that we're in a very different situation to last year and confirmed the great job we've done with the new M1 over the winter. Now it's finally time for the first race and it's time to see if all our hard work pays off. Everyone is very excited and very motivated after what happened last year and our aim is very simple – to win!
"I like Qatar a lot, it's fast and fun to ride and I have won there twice. Of course it's quite hot and dusty so tyre choice will be very important, especially with the new rules. The other key factor is going to be the fuel consumption - I think it is something everybody is worried about this season but we are all in the same boat.
"We know the bike should work well at the first two races but the championship is very long. Dani Pedrosa has looked the most consistent in testing but I think Nicky Hayden, Loris Capirossi and my own team-mate Colin Edwards will be in the fight for the title," he concluded.
"Finally we're going racing!" added Fiat Yamaha team director Davide Brivio. "I think this season will be very interesting because it is the first time in several years that Valentino isn't starting as the defending champion and there are many young riders who are now ready to fight for the title. We have had a good winter of testing and we feel that we have made a good job of preparing for the new season. Now we're excited to go racing and see exactly how prepared we really are.
"Qatar will be the first time everybody shows their cards for real and we are all very curious to see what level we are at compared to our rivals. The mood in the team is optimistic because both Colin and Valentino have been amongst the top riders all through the winter so providing everything goes OK then we can expect to be competitive. Let's go racing!" Crash.net | |
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