MotoGP world champion Valentino Rossi believes his new Yamaha is the right package to keep him and his team on track for another “grand slam” in 2006. Yamaha took the 2005 rider, team and constructor titles in the elite field, with Rossi taking his fifth crown.

The Italian has tested his new bike and declared: “It’s already quite good and is an improvement on the old M1.

“We need to work on the bike. Winning (all three titles) again will not be easy, but I’m confident.”

The 26-year-old added: “For sure, it is getting more difficult every year because all the other factories and all the other guys want to beat us more.”

Yamaha’s technical adviser Jeremy Burgess said Rossi’s former team Honda will “certainly be the main challenger”.