Valentino Rossi thinks 2015 MotoGP title is a realistic target

In his second season back at Yamaha after his unsuccessful Ducati stint, Rossi made great strides and finished second in the world championship to Marc Marquez.

He took two race wins and often outperformed team-mate Jorge Lorenzo, as he produced his most successful campaign since winning the 2009 crown.

Asked if he was now eyeing another title in 2015, Rossi replied: "I think next year will not be impossible. It is the target.

"I say that because we can improve from this year to next year. Already the work has started, during all this season from the last test of last season. We demonstrated good potential already."

A key reason for Rossi's optimism is because 2014 was only his first season working with new crew chief Silvano Galbusera, who switched from the BMW World Superbike programme to replace Rossi's long-time cohort Jeremy Burgess.

"With one year more experience, he can improve," said Rossi of Galbusera.

"He'll know MotoGP in a better way because he didn't have any experience before this year.

"We can also improve the way to work between us, because it was just the first season. I know him better, and he knows me a lot better, and the way that I want the bike. So we can do better."

But Rossi acknowledged that there was still a big gap to close to take on Marquez across a full season, and that Lorenzo was likely to be stronger too.

"It will be very, very hard," he said.

"First I expect Jorge to be very, very strong next year from the beginning.

"At the beginning of this season he had some problems, but from the Sachsenring he was very, very strong at all the racetracks. He'll be a real contender.

"And especially Marc. He has a lot of points' advantage. So to try to fight for the championship with these two guys will need another step, but I will try."

Rossi had signalled his resurgence at the start of 2014 by pushing Marquez very hard for victory in Qatar, but the Italian admitted that he suspected even then that Marquez might run away with the season.

"After the race in Qatar, I was very happy about the race and thinking I could be very competitive for all the season, but I was also thinking 'f***, maybe it's going to be difficult to win with him,'" he said.

"In the end I was right, because I have a lot of points, a lot of podiums, but just two victories and Marc won 13. So the difference is so big.

"We have to concentrate on myself and the team, and especially on the bike, to try to be closer next year."