What Can We Expect From A Multiple MotoGP World Champ This Season?

The two-year stint Valentino Rossi spent with Ducati can be considered as one of the most unfortunate seasons in his riding history. Winning races after races in Yamaha 2004 – 2010 with his Yamaha YZR-M1, his riding career with Ducati did not seem to justify his riding prowess. Now that Rossi signed a contract with Yamaha for the 2013-2014 seasons, reuniting with his former M1 bike, there has been arising speculations whether he can still win another title to add on his list though this means beating the former rival Jorge Lorenzo who is the current defending champion.

However, despite the unspoken rivalry between the two champs (Rossi and Lorenzo) that started in their previous team up in Yamaha, it seems that their situation is getting better for this season. At the sidelines of the pre-season MotoGP testing at Malaysia’s Sepang circuit, Lorenzo said in an Interview that he finds it better for him and Rossi to work as a team than going separately. The young champ admits that something has changed when asked about their relationship as team-mates in Yamaha Factory. Lorenzo is eying a tougher challenge between him and Rossi as well as with Honda’s Dani Pedrosa.

The first MotoGP pre-season testing ended February 7 in the Sepang Circuit where Pedrosa topped the timesheet with the fashtest lap finishing 2:01.157, while reigning champ Jorge Lorenzo of Yamaha factory was 0.008 seconds slower. Marc Marquez got the third spot with 0.044, followed by Rossi who finished fourth by 0.427 seconds. The pre-season seems to give a taste of what to expect this season with Honda and Yamaha teams running in narrow gaps.

Being fourth in the race did not disappoint Rossi though. He said that the testing day brought him a big relief. He even told reporters that he need to put more effort in riding because he is already old. The 33 year old rider’s goal is go back to the podium the soonest possible and winning a race. This can be a big challenge for Vale to face this year, but he appears enthusiastic that a win is possible with his bike.

The second MotoGP pre-testing will be on February 26 – 28 at Sepang circuit still, while the third session will be held in Jerez from March 23 – 25.

There is more to come for the Yamaha Team with Lorenzo and Rossi to hold their banners in the race. To give tribute for Rossi’s comeback, Yamaha welcomed him with a video that shows his winning years with the team. Dorna’s Carmelo Ezpeleta thinks that Rossi is very able to compete and win considering his riding experience and the talent he honed for years. He said that Rossi’s decision to come back to Yamaha is a part of the rider’s goal to be back in front. Yamaha gave him the roaster of championships he won for years, and it is not impossible that he hit it once again.

It seems that this year’s Moto-GP season is filled with exciting anticipation, not only from Moto-GP fans around the world but with the riders themselves. Vale is the rider that many eyes have caught the attention for now, and of course, the Yellow Army is heads up with all the support they can give to their hero.