MotoGP news

Rossi ready to continue championship fight

The Fiat Yamaha Team return from the MotoGP summer break this week ready for a flying re-start to the season as the World Championship resumes with round twelve of eighteen at Brno. Valentino Rossi heads into the Czech Republic Grand Prix lying second in the standings, just as he did last season when he returned from the midseason break with a 51-point gap to Nicky Hayden - a distance he cut to just five by the final round at Valencia. This year he is 44 points adrift of series leader Casey Stoner with an extra round at Misano, just 15 kilometres away from his hometown of Tavullia, to help make up the difference.

Valentino Rossi heads to Brno planning re-launch his title challenge at what has been one of his most successful circuits. The 28-year-old took his maiden Grand Prix win at Brno in the 125cc class and has since added to his tally with a 250cc success and three wins in MotoGP, as well as three second places in the top class. In fact, the only occasion he failed to finish in the top two at Brno in MotoGP was in 2002 and a continuation of that run is the target this weekend.

"Of course Laguna was quite disappointing and it would have been nice to have been able to go into the summer break knowing we had closed the gap in the championship, but this sadly wasn't the case," says Rossi. "Laguna made many things quite clear about the situation that we're in this season and I know that many people at Yamaha and Michelin have been working very hard during this break in order to help us to be in better shape at the next race. Now I'm really looking forward to getting back onto the bike and doing the best we can to get back into the fight.

"Of course we know that the championship is going to be difficult, but we were in a worse situation at this time last year, with less races remaining, and we still managed to come back to lead the fight. This time it will be very, very hard because Stoner is very strong and is not making mistakes, but we won't give up. I know my team, Yamaha and Michelin will continue to give 100% and we will fight at every one of the final seven races. Brno last year was the start of a turnaround in our fortunes so let's hope this is the case again this year!"

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• 01 Sep.
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  • Photos: Sunday in Misano
• 31 Aug.
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  • Stoner bitterly disappointed
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  • Lorenzo celebrates return to podium
  • Win puts Rossi 75 points clear
  • Hayden to sit out San Marino GP
  • Stoner fastest in warm up
• 30 Aug.
  • Photos: Saturday in Misano
  • Stoner extends record with seventh straight pole
  • Pedrosa satisfied with second row
  • Lorenzo happy to be back
  • Rossi ready for another battle with Stoner
  • Stoner storms to last gasp pole
  • Stoner still fastest on Saturday morning
• 29 Aug.
  • Stoner confident despite aggrevating injury
  • Positive start for Rossi
  • Improvement for Lorenzo
  • Stoner fastest on Friday
  • Stoner sets morning pace
• 26 Aug.
  • Stoner determined to bounce back
  • Gresini riders aim high for Misano
• 22 Aug.
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• 20 Aug.
  • Melandri confirms Kawasaki move
• 19 Aug.
  • Nakano wraps up positive test for Gresini
  • Stoner ends test with threatening pace
  • Rossi confident for final rounds after test
• 18 Aug.
  • Good test ends strong weekend for Rossi
  • Ducati top test with Stoner
• 17 Aug.
  • Dismal end to disappointing weekend for Pedrosa
  • Stoner rues costly mistake
  • Encouraging results for Gresini
  • Rossi celebrates crucial victory
  • Rossi storms to win as Stoner crashes
  • Stoner still ahead in warm-up
• 16 Aug.
  • Photos: Saturday in Brno
  • Pedrosa struggles in qualifying
  • Rossi hoping for dry race

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