Eurosport.yahoo.om - Thu 23 Oct, 06:40 PMVALENCIA, Spain (AFP) - Eight-time world champion Valentino Rossi heads into the 2008 season finale here on Sunday with his sights set on another record. The Italian has amassed 357 points from seventeen races so far this year and needs eleven more to break the record for the highest tally in a single campaign. He can make sure of the mark, which he set in 2005 and was equalled by Australia's Casey Stoner last year, if he finishes in fifth place or better. A podium finish would also equal his own record of most rostrums (sixteen) in a single season in the MotoGP class, set in 2003 from 16 races and equalled in 2005 from seventeen races. Also this weekend Rossi is set to make his 150th start in the premier-class, having never missed a race since his 500cc debut at the opening race of the 2000 season at Welkom in South Africa.
But Rossi is taking nothing for granted as he heads in the final race of the year on a circuit where he conceded the world title to Nicky Hayden in 2006 and then losing out to Dani Pedrosa for second place in the standings there last season.
"It's been a fantastic season and the win last Sunday in Malaysia was great, but I am not finished yet and I want to reward my team, Yamaha and Bridgestone for a fantastic season with the best possible result on Sunday," said the Italian.
"I have had two bad years at Valencia and I have some memories I would like to forget with a good result there this year.
"I have an account to settle. In 2006 I crashed and lost the championship and then last year I broke my hand and lost second place in the championship. It's not the best track for us but I won there with Yamaha in my first year with them and I would like to do the same again this weekend."
No comments:
Post a Comment