Movistar Yamaha Team Aim for Glory in Austria

After four days of riding the YZR-M1s in the last week, Movistar Yamaha MotoGP's Valentino Rossi is fired up and feeling confident to take on the competition at the upcoming NeroGiardini Motorrad Grand Prix von Österreich.

Rossi topped the Brno test just two days ago and is feeling confident that he can continue to show great speed in Austria, though the nature of the Czech circuit and the Red Bull Ring are quite diverse.

The Doctor has ridden at the Spielberg track three times before. He secured his first ever podium at the Austrian venue with a third place in the 125cc class in 1996, and followed it up with a second place in the same class in 1997. Last year he just missed out on the podium, taking fourth place. The Italian is determined to climb the rostrum this time round and decrease the current 22-point gap to first place in the championship rankings.

Last year the Spielberg circuit hosted its first MotoGP Grand Prix in nineteen years. The circuit was originally built in 1969 and was rebuilt in 1996 to the track-layout it still has today. The circuit stands out as it has only three left and seven right corners, a 626m longest straight, and features a 18-metre-high landmark "Bull of Spielberg" in the track's centre. The circuit's design puts the emphasis on top speed, acceleration and braking stability, allowing the riders plenty of opportunities to fully open the throttle and put on a show for the Austrian fans.

Valentino Rossi

Championship: 4th - Points: 132

"Going back to the track immediately is very important to us, especially after a test like Monday's in Brno, where we tried so many things. During the weekend in the Czech Republic we were fast in every condition and the test helped us to understand a bit more. Now we go to the circuit of Austria, that's not very favourable to us, but I hope we can fight for a good result. I'm fine with the YZR-M1 now, I can ride the bike better, I'm happy and I hope I can fight for the podium at every race. The championship is still open and it will be important to take as many points as possible."

Massimo Meregalli

Movistar Yamaha MotoGP - Team Director

"After the test in Brno, we headed straight to Austria for the next round. We have put in a lot of hours of work in the Czech Republic and the test has put the whole team in a positive mood; we are ready for action at the Red Bull Ring. Last year the race in Spielberg was a really nice event, so the team is looking forward to this year's edition. Though the track's lay-out lays the emphasis on top speed and acceleration, which are not our main strengths, we've made good progress over the last few days and we look forward to starting work on Friday."