Valentino Rossi quotes:

The most important thing is to have a good relationship with the bike... you have to understand what she wants. I think of a motorcycle as a woman, and I know that sounds silly, but it's true.

I have won on Honda and Yamaha so maybe it is interesting to win with a third team, Ducati, who are Italian.

Riding a race bike is an art - a thing that you do because you feel something inside.

To be a great motorbike racer, the most important thing is passion for the bike.

It's a big, big advantage because understanding what changes we might make takes time and it takes time to work out settings and to understand everything about the new machine.

It is a big problem and so I don't know for sure if I say yes or no to Ferrari.

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.

I would have probably stolen cars - it would have given me the same adrenaline rush as racing.

I am able to ride the bike and think clearly about strategy and tyres. I also have positive thinking. I am very constructively critical.

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

I don't like being famous - it is like a prison. And driving for Ferrari would make it far worse.

Fortunately during my career I have won more or less everything, so I need to enjoy it to have the right motivation.

Maybe the bike is more dangerous, but the passion for the car for me is second to the bike.

I have a lot of energy after 2 A.M. I like to sleep in the morning. I have some problems at the start of the day.

Maybe if Graziano make another work or another sport I wouldn't have had this passion to be a rider.

I'm lucky because I don't feel too much pressure - it's only in the last hour before the race, and even then it's good, positive pressure.

I feel 100% a Yamaha rider in my heart. I had a long career and raced with several factory bikes, but the highlight of my career is undoubtedly with Yamaha.

My normal life is like being on holiday.

However I am looking forward to the two new Grands Prixs both Shanghai and Laguna Seca are fantastic tracks and it will be good to race at them.

I like physical exercise. I actually like sports in general. I really like snowboarding and playing soccer, too.

My father raced bikes. He gave me the passion very early. I had my first bike when I was three or four years old.

I race to win. If I am on the bike or in a car it will always be the same.

We have the 2004 M1 here for reference, which is useful. It worked well here last year; we won the race and always did fast lap times so it will be interesting to compare it to the new bike and it will help us to understand which parts have improved

But I could also start F1 or rallying. I love rallying much more.

I was lucky. My father raced bikes. He gave me the passion very early. I had my first bike when I was three or four years old.

I have designs I like applied to my helmet, motorcycle, riding suits, gloves,and boots. I have a designer friend of mine put the designs on them for me. I think a livery on the helmet is significant in expressing a rider's personality.

Maybe if Graziano make another work or another sport I wouldn't have had this passion to be a rider

Once the races begin it's more difficult and there is never that much time for testing.

I always enjoyed myself a lot in pre-school.

The great fights with your strongest rivals are always the biggest motivation. When you win easily it's not the same taste.

If I test the car for a year I can be quite competitive the next season.

As for the level of spectacle of the two disciplines, I leave it to the people who watch the races to comment.

Also, when I started racing he knew a lot of people and it was more easy for me to find the first bike, so I have a good chance for sure.

We have the 2004 M1 here for reference, which is useful. It worked well here last year; we won the race and always did fast lap times so it will be interesting to compare it to the new bike and it will help us to understand which parts have improved.

I never race for records. The motivation to try to beat the record is not enough to continue. You have to enjoy it.

Barcelona is a special track. I have always loved the layout of the circuit, but also the atmosphere and the fans are special. It has always been good fun.

Giving yourself threads doesn't mean you don't believe in yourself in my opinion.

I am completely focused on being strong, riding fast, and enjoying myself. With the new generation of riders, only the chronometer counts. I need to be faster than them on track.

I am focused on racing. I enjoy it. It's a great feeling to be back fighting for the title.

I think the secret is to understand that you still want to be part of the game. To do so, you have to forget all the victories you've managed to get in the previous years and have a great humility. You also need to realise that, if you want to go on, you have to work hard. If you dwell too much on your past successes and say "well, I have won nine world titles and more than 100 races", you'd rather stay home.

I try to have a different relationship with the bike. I don't give it a name, but I always speak with it. I don't know if the other riders do the same. This is not only a piece of metal - there is a soul. The bike talks back too. But not with a voice, with the components

I'm done with F1 unfortunately. I'm too old, the train has passed

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

I'm very happy because I won a lot. I've won races and lived in a world that just gave me joy, so I remember it very positively.

In 2009, I didn't like that Yamaha signed such a young and competitive teammate [Jorge Lorenzo]. But now everything is different. We are more mature. Everyone knows his role and position. Things are clear.

In my opinion we are at the limit now, and 17 races is really too much. With all the testing that we do now, it means we're always on the bike and it's quite difficult.

It is dangerous and unbelievably fast and entirely different from the kind of track I am used to racing on

Our sport is dangerous. We risk the life out there, so we need to stay calm and focused and leave all the rest out.

The speed is something dangerous but very exciting.

The tragic incident of Luis Salom reminds us that our sport, our passion, is dangerous. We know it but, in a way, we don't think about it.

The work that we do during the winter is very important; we have a new bike and it's important to develop it during this time, and we start with this test

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

We kept on racing, doing something that Luis [Salom] loved. Fortunately or unfortunately, life goes on.

You look at Moto3, the races are very exciting. Moto2 is fantastic, and then MotoGP is boring.

You try to do a technical feature: in front of me I had a strong rider who brakes hard and it's difficult to pass.