Valentino Rossi: ‘Maybe if it snows I can win’

Valentino Rossi might be close to losing his proud record of winning at least one race in every season of his illustrious Grand Prix career in 2011, but he proved today he’s not lost his sense of humour too.

Rossi joked in Phillip Island this afternoon that he would need snow to win a race in 2011 after a torrid debut campaign for Ducati that has seen him claim just one podium in 15 races.

The 32-year-old has failed to make the finicky Desmosedici anywhere near competitive enough to challenge Casey Stoner’s factory Honda and Jorge Lorenzo’s works Yamaha this season.

Ducati has never lost in the 800cc era at Phillip Island but Rossi has already dismissed his chances of extending that run to maintain his record of winning at least one race in every season since his GP debut in 1996.

He said: “It is a bad feeling. At the beginning of the season I thought we can win some races, but I have to look reality in the eyes and I think we can’t win one race. It is very bad, because Ducati always win but also I always win minimum one race from 1996. Maybe if it snows I can win (laughs).”