Melandri targets podium in Portugal

He had to sit out the Czech Grand Prix due to neck pain, and then came through from 12th to fourth at Misano following a violent practice acciddent.

He believes Gresini's Honda and Bridgestone package is more competitive than he has been able to show recently, and is hoping to achieve a more representative result in Portugal.

"I'm highly motivated," Melandri said.

"The bike and the tyres are at a high level and now we just need the result to go with it. I'm keen to get back on the podium, like I did at Laguna, because it would be a nice way to pay back my team, who have worked so hard and given me so much."

But the Italian admitted that the Estoril track was not the ideal venue for the Honda.

"It will be a big challenge for us in Portugal - Estoril is a difficult circuit with so many first gear corners and two long straights, one in fifth gear, one in sixth, where we might struggle a bit," Melandri said.

"The characteristics of our bike are better suited to a more flowing circuit but I'm ready for this race."

Melandri's teammate Toni Elias took his only MotoGP victory to date at Estoril last year, in a thrilling finish that saw him beat Valentino Rossi over the line by just 0.002 seconds.

But he said his aim for the 2007 Portuguese GP was to keep making steady progress in his recovery from the broken leg he sustained at Assen in June. Although Elias returned to racing at Brno, pain from the injury has continued to hamper him.

"I'm happy to be heading back to a circuit that holds so many fond memories for me. The win last season in MotoGP was probably the best of my career but now I am just looking ahead and trying to do well this Sunday," he said.

"I'm just trying to improve my performance race by race - I got eleventh at Brno after three races out and seventh at Misano.

"They are not the results I want but at the moment I am restricted by my physical condition."