New year & new hope for Rossi

Valentino Rossi's Yamaha MotoGP crew launched the new team in Turin recently, at the old base for main sponsor Fiat.

New recruit Jorge Lorenzo joined in the fun, just before the crew headed off to testing in Malaysia.

The team reports: “The presentation was hosted by Italian TV star Simona Ventura and took place at the historic Lingotto building, which was Fiat’s car factory from 1923 until 1982.

"The building, which features a unique rooftop test track, played host to a different type of wheel power today when the new 2008 YZR-M1s, sporting an updated version of the Fiat Yamaha Team’s eye-catching white and blue livery, were unveiled. Yamaha’s double MotoGP World Champion Valentino Rossi was present at the ceremony alongside his new team-mate, 20-year-old Spaniard Jorge Lorenzo, who is making the step up to MotoGP after two years as 250cc World Champion."

Rossi was suitably upbeat: "I'm very happy that we’re so close to the start of racing," said Rossi, who will contest this season on Bridgestone tyres for the first time. "This is a very important year for us and our only aim is to win, although it’s going to be hard work. My hand is much better, if not yet perfect, and I’m looking forward to getting back on the bike in Sepang next week. Everyone has been working very hard over the winter and I think our new bike is quite good, although of course we still have a lot of work to do. Everyone is very motivated and I know that we have the best team there is."

(Pics show Lorenzo + Rossi, and the new M1 racer for 2008)

Web: Yamaha-racing.com

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