Rossi's Gauloises Yamaha team-mate Colin Edwards is also aiming for a points finish this weekend as he looks to end the campaign with a 100% point-scoring record. The American is the only MotoGP rider to have scored points in each of the sixteen rounds so far this year, a show of consistency which sees him tackling the last race of the year still holding an outside chance of finishing as the championship runner-up in only his first season with Yamaha.

Gauloises Yamaha Team Director Davide Brivio has challenged his staff to end the season on a high note this weekend as they look to put the gloss on a sparkling year of celebrations for Yamaha's 50th Anniversary.

Motivation within the camp has remained high even with the riders', teams' and constructors' titles already decided and the Italian is asking for more of the same, with three more days' of intense effort required before the end of season celebrations can begin.

"This weekend is the last race of what has been a very good season for us", says Brivio. "It has been a great pleasure to help bring so much success to Yamaha in its 50th Anniversary year and we want to finish it in the best possible way. We took the victory at Valencia last season and it would be nice to do the same again. We have two targets for the weekend really. One is for a Yamaha victory and the other is to improve Colin's fourth position in the championship. It will be difficult because the riders in front of him have a good advantage now and they are looking strong but it is not over yet so we will be trying our best. We have a lot of guests and VIPs from around Europe and Japan coming to the race so it would be nice to put on a good show for them and enjoy the celebration party together."