Valentino Rossi, who has won five out of seven world titles contested in the MotoGP era, believes he needs to find new motivation ahead of the new season. The Fiat Yamaha rider, whose teammate, Jorge Lorenzo, is tipped to be the Italian's natural successor, regained the world title after an epic struggle with defending champion Casey Stoner last season. The defining moment for the Italian was when he beat his Australian rival at Laguna Seca in the United States but he is now concerned that his desire for a seventh premier class world title needs to be more focused.
Having been beaten in the 20006 and 2007 title races, by Nicky Hayden and Stoner respectively, Rossi did not need an incentive to win the world crown last season. Ahead of Sunday's race at Losail, which will be at night and run under floodlights, Rossi admitted: "I had motivation last year. Now I need to find new motivation. Every year I have to work harder." Contracted to Fiat Yamaha until the end of the 2010 season, Rossi does not believe he is ready to quit the sport just yet.
He said: "When I start to feel less fast, this is the time to stop. "I will decide on my future in 2010 and if it is possible to continue or better to stop." * With agencies