Valentino Rossi eager for MotoGP race in India

Despite walking out of a special media presentation as Valentino Rossi’s first public appearance in India degenerated into chaos and confusion, the Italian hopes to race in the South Asian country in the future.

The reigning MotoGP world champion walked off stage on the opening day of a two-day visit to Indian capital New Delhi when a media event he attended erupted into a row between pressmen and security.

The Fiat Yamaha rider though refused to let the incident deter him from hoping that a MotoGP race will be held in India.

A circuit in Greater Noida, which is around 30 miles outside of New Delhi, is due to be built to host a Formula One race in the future.

And 30-year-old Rossi, who won a ninth world title in 2009, said: “It has been a very good trip; I am happy to have so many fans here in India and I hope that one day we will have the chance to race here.”

Over 300 Yamaha dealers and members of the press turned out to see Rossi and he met John Abraham, one of the biggest Indian film stars and also an ambassador for Yamaha India.

“This is my very first visit to India and I am impressed by the beauty of this country, although sadly I did not have much time to visit Delhi.” Rossi said.

“I hope to be able to come back soon and have more time to enjoy this place. Yamaha has been doing great things here and the positive response from the market is the evidence that they have been going in the right direction.

“The new models YZF-R15 and FZ16, which are less-powerful replicas of the R1 and the Fazer, are definitely appropriate for this market and for the characteristics of the traffic here in India.

“In fact I am amazed at the traffic and the incredible numbers of cars and bikes on the road all the time, by day and night!

“It was great to see John Abraham, I met him a few years ago when he came to a race so it was nice to see him in his own country, where he is very famous!”