MotoGP: Rossi To Stonewall Stoner At The Island

Valentino Rossi with his 46th career team win
with Fiat Yamaha in Sepang

Valentino Rossi will have his hands full as hometown hero Casey Stoner will gun for a home win at Iveco Australian Grand Prix at Phillip Island on Friday.  Despite Stoner's early exit in the first lap of the Malaysian MotoGP, Rossi still believes that the Ducati rider poses a great challenge to him after his magnificent winning ride on Sepang. 

In today's practice session newly crowned MotoGP champion Jorge Lorenzo set the fastest time in the circuit with 1'41.146 aboard his Fiat Yamaha bike.  Stoner came in with 0.334 seconds down on Lorenzo's time on board his Desmosedici GP10 motobike.  The Doctor is in seventh place on his Fiat Yamaha M1. 

Rossi last won the Australian GP in 2005 and has dominated it since 2001.  This race will erase many doubts among Rossi's detractors after coming from a broken leg injury in mid season.  "The Malaysia race was a bad day for Casey but I'm sure he is the man to beat at Phillip Island," Rossi said. "Last time I won was in 2005 so I will try but Casey and Ducati are very, very fast at the Island. I need to be at 100% to try and beat him."

With a nagging shoulder injury, Rossi believes that he is back 100% mentally in racing.  It took him three months to come back from his injuries and made a fantastic win  in Sepang.  It was his 79th MotoGP career win and 46th win for his Yamaha team the same as his bike's race number.

"That was one of my best ever races -- a Valentino Rossi-style win," Rossi said of Sepang. "My confidence came back and winning from 11th was something great."

The Australian MotoGP will be on Sunday, Oct. 17 at 1:00am EST.