Nine-time world champion Valention Rossi’s 20th season in the premier class hasn’t gone as the Italian would have liked, so the decorated MotoGP veteran is hoping for a change of luck in his 400th race.
After making his debut in the 125cc class in 1996, the 40-year-old will reach the remarkable milestone at the Australian MotoGP at Phillip Island – a race he has won six times.
The Monster Energy Yamaha superstar enters the third-last grand prix of the season with just two podium finishes and sitting seventh in world championship standings.
But the disappointment of a tough campaign would be eased somewhat if he can claim a 90th career grand prix win at the famed island circuit he loves.
“It’s good to reach the 400 here in Phillip Island because it’s an iconic place for MotoGP,” Rossi said.
“All the riders love the circuit because it’s something special compared to the rest – it’s one of the best places.
“We pray for a weekend with blues skies and fantastic temperature but unfortunately the good weather has arrived a little bit too early in anticipation of the weekend.
“So for sure we will have to fight with the difficult conditions at Phillip Island but its a pleasure anyway.”
Spanish superstar Marc Marquez has already wrapped up this year’s world championship, claiming his eighth world title with a win on his Repsol Honda in Thailand.
The eight-time world champion expects he will need to overcome Phillip Island’s notoriously changeable weather as well as the rest of the field to score his 11th win of the season.
Marquez, who is gunning for his fifth victory in a row, is bracing for a torrid time with wet and windy weather forecast.
“We are coming from another great weekend in Japan and the main target is to try to fight for the victory but it’s a circuit that you need to feel,” Marquez said.
“You need to feel that you can win because it has very high speed corners and this means a lot of risk.
“Part of that is the weather. We will try to work with the that in a good way to be ready for Sunday.
“We will need to fight especially against the Yamahas and Suzukis – they have bikes that work very good around here.”
