Valencia MotoGP: Valentino Rossi content with second

Valentino Rossi went some way to burying his Valencia jinx after he ended 2009 with a hard fought second place yesterday.

The 30-year-old’s 13th podium of the season was his best in Valencia since 2004 though the Fiat Yamaha rider was powerless to prevent Dani Pedrosa from romping to a trademark runaway success.     

Rossi, who hasn’t won any of the last four races, was engaged in an early tussle with team-mate Jorge Lorenzo before a mistake from the Spaniard on lap four let the nine-times world champion through.

Rossi though was unable to do anything to close the gap on Repsol Honda rider Pedrosa at the front, but he was still satisfied to end his campaign on the rostrum.
The seven-times MotoGP world champion said: “I’m really happy about this result because it was fantastic to be able to ride well at Valencia and it’s my best finish here since 2004. 

“Of course it would have been better to win but I lost some time at the start battling with (Toni) Elias and Lorenzo and by that time Pedrosa had gone and at this track it’s almost impossible to make up a two second gap.

“Unfortunately for me Dani was better with the cold tyre at the beginning. When I saw (Casey) Stoner was out I thought it was possible to win, but I was too slow in the first lap.”

Rossi survived a late counter attack from Lorenzo to defeat the Spaniard by just 0.3s and he added: “Jorge came back strong at the end. I had to switch off the brain and ride all-or-nothing for the last three laps. I was sliding everywhere but it was a good way to close the season.”