Italian MotoGP star Valentino Rossi says a rostrum finish at round four at Jerez, in Spain, this weekend is a must as he attempts to claw back some ground following his tumble in Austin, Texas, last weekend.

Yamaha’s Rossi left America empty handed after coming off his M1 in the previous round and is now 33 points behind MotoGP championship leader Marc Marquez (Honda) as he holds third place, 12 points back on Yamaha team-mate Jorge Lorenzo.

The nine-time world champion is looking forward to competing at Jerez this weekend after conceding that luck deserted him in Texas.

“I am very happy that now we go to Europe. The race in Texas was not very lucky for me, but even after a race like that we have to look at the positive side,” said Rossi.

“We were having a very good weekend when we improved in qualifying and I felt very good on the bike and also with the Michelins. Austin has always been a very difficult track for me, but this year it was good. Now we go to Jerez, a track that I like very much.

“It’s very different from the first three rounds of the championship,” he added. “We’ll have to work well, like we have done in these first races, finding the best setting for the tyres, continue working on the Michelins, and above all we must try to get onto the podium on Sunday.”

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