Highlights

Rossi forecasts title race will go to wire

(Reuters)
Updated: 2006-10-13 08:56

ESTORIL, Portugal, Oct 12 - Valentino Rossi forecast on Thursday that the title only will be decided in Valencia, Spain, last race of this season's MotoGP world championship.

"I can imagine the title being decided on the last lap of the last race at Valencia," he told a media conference.

With two races to go, Honda's Nicky Hayden is 12 points clear of Rossi and can end the Italian's five-year reign as champion if he wins at Estoril and his Yamaha rival fails to finish higher than fifth.

Rossi, who has won four times and always been on the podium in six races at Estoril, said: "It is a difficult track, but I have been able to win here with both Yamaha and Honda in the wet and in the dry."

Hayden, who has not been in the top six in two previous visits to one of his least favourite circuits, said: "It is not just another race. I know what this race means but I can't ride differently from how have I have been."

The American, 25, the only MotoGP rider to have scored points in every race this year, added: "Nobody has really dominated this season and I think my consistency has shown through even though I haven't had lots of wins.

"This season, with the great riders that we have, I don't think anybody would be able to put together four wins in a row or nine victories in a season."

Portugal will also feature the debut of the Ilmor team, brainchild of ex-Formula One engine designer Mario Illien and former rider Eskil Suter.

Australian Garry McCoy, a winner at Estoril on a Red Bull Yamaha six years ago, will ride in a race that amounts to a test run for a bike designed for next year's reduction in capacity from 990cc to 800.