Reducing errors Rossi's 2010 priority

Rossi eventually beat Yamaha team-mate Jorge Lorenzo to the 2009 championship by 45 points, despite crashing in the damp at Le Mans and Donington Park, and falling while chasing Lorenzo at Indianapolis. He said his main aim this year was to eliminate such mistakes - citing the Indy crash as a particular low point.

"Rivals' pressure is always very high, every year. In 2009 I did three mistakes during races, which is too much, but at least two of them were very particular, because it was raining and I had slick tyres," said Rossi.

"In Indianapolis, instead, I had the worst accident and I could have avoided it. In 2010 we will try to stay as much concentrated as possible and to avoid those mistakes."

The points damage from Rossi's crashes last year was minimised by Lorenzo also having several incidents - the Spaniard falling in the races at Jerez, Donington, Brno and Phillip Island. But Lorenzo said accidents were inevitable with the competition so tough at the head of the field.

"I think that last year's problem was that all four riders were riding at their limit at every race and in that condition it is very difficult to finish the races," he said.

"It is true that I made a few mistakes of strategy or concentration that I will try to avoid this year, but I am quite satisfied with my 2009 season."

He feels that poor race starts are a bigger problem for him than crashes.

"I really think that my starts are not the best," Lorenzo said. "This winter I have been training very hard to improve this quality, because if you start well you avoid many problems."