Jerez MotoGP: Valentino Rossi expects strong performance

Valentino Rossi has said he expects to be a serious contender for victory in Sunday’s Spanish MotoGP in Jerez.

The factory Yamaha rider is looking to stop a barren run of five races without a victory in Sunday’s 27-lap race.

Valentino Rossi made a somewhat disappointing start to 2008 when his Bridgestone debut saw him finish fifth in the season’s opening race in Qatar.

But he believes he is set to kick-start his bid for an eighth world title in Jerez, which was one of only four circuits that the Italian triumphed on during a torrid 2007 campaign.

Rossi has claimed five premier class victories in Jerez and said: “I have great, great memories with good victories and the last was last year, so I think it is possible to be competitive.

“In Qatar we struggled a little bit too much and we were never so fast.

“We study a lot all the data and all the results and I am waiting for tomorrow morning to see our performance, but I think it is possible to make a good weekend.”

Valentino Rossi said the key to how quickly he can mount a serious challenge to rival Casey Stoner would depend on how quickly he adapts his Fiat Yamaha YZR-M1 to Bridgestone’s tyres.

He added: “I need a bit more time to understand the marriage between Bridgestone and the M1, but I think we are working in a good way and we expect a good result and after to stay at the top until the end of the season.

“We have to work to try and attack this weekend and not defend like in Qatar.”