Rossi bullish on new Yamaha's potential

Yamaha unveiled their latest machine in an online launch this morning, ahead of this week's test at Sepang in Malaysia.

Rossi has already tested the prototype version, and reckons Yamaha will make substantial gains.

"I had the chance to try the 2009 prototype briefly after Valencia but more so in Jerez, when I was very fast," he said.

"The bike seems better and I was faster than I was with the 2008 version.

"I'm very confident, and anyway we're only at the beginning of our work and now we must use these months before April to improve the 2009 M1 even more."

But although Rossi is certain that he will have the equipment to fight for another championship, he expects a tough battle to overcome main rivals Casey Stoner and Dani Pedrosa.

"2008 was difficult because it was the year in which I had to give the most of myself in order to win," said Rossi.

"In 2009 it will be even more difficult because my adversaries, who suffered in 2008, are now out for payback and will be looking to beat me. I think it's going to be even harder than 2008."

Rossi also expects his teammate Jorge Lorenzo to be a title threat in his second year of MotoGP.

"I do think that Lorenzo will be one of my strongest rivals, because he has a year's more experience and this year there is also the monotyre, so we will start equal," he said. "He will be a very hard rival to fight."

The team will continue to operate a split garage with a wall separating the two riders, even though they are now racing on the same tyres due to the new Bridgestone monopoly.

Rossi said he was keen to retain the wall as the Yamaha duo could end up fighting each other for the title.

"In our team there are two very strong riders and both of these riders are setting out to win the world championship," he said.

"We found the arrangement to work very well in 2008 and so we will continue with it also in 2009."