Nowadays, we have to deal with so many more factors that weren't there in the past. It's not enough to be a good rider, if you want to finish at the front. The riders have become incredible athletes. In the past, you could manage the race and fight only on the last laps. Now you need to train hard. You cannot allow yourself to go on track without being at 100 percent.

I am still here because I like to prove myself. I still like to ride the bike on track and enjoy the races. I still have good reasons to be in racing after so many years.

How do Ferrari know what I'm doing next year when I don't know what I'm doing next week?

I'm really happy, and beating Marc [Marquez] at the very last chicane gives me an extra boost.

To win the Championship in the first year will be hard. We need time to become competitive and win races.

In 2002 the Yamaha was at more or less the same level as the Honda, better in some ways, worse in others. But in the winter of last year between 2002 and 2003, Honda made a big step forward and it seemed as if Yamaha couldn't quite match that improvement.

I'm Valentino Rossi. And I want to be a person, not an icon.