Valentino Rossi has explained why it is more than likely he will stay with a modified version of the 2015 Yamaha YZR-M1 instead of switching to the new model for this year’s MotoGP season.

Rossi has favoured the hybrid bike over the past two days of testing at Sepang but says he will try the 2016 bike tomorrow again, and at Phillip Island before he makes a decision. The new bike has its good points, he says, but changes to the Michelin tyres have caused trouble in some areas.

“With the 2016 bike we have some things good but in braking we are in trouble. This is what’s happened. Tomorrow we will try another time, we are not in a hurry. For me is interesting to try at another track, in Phillip Island one time,” said Rossi, speaking at Sepang.

“But now both riders are more towards the bike that is more similar to the 2015. Yamaha try to modify with the bike with the tyre of last year. But now Michelin make a step and maybe we don’t need, this is the situation now.

“At the moment, we don’t know the level of our top speed against the Honda and the Ducati. This is an issue for us and we need to suffer less. We need to see at the first race. I hope we can have a little more horsepower for the top speed. We will know when we have the official top speed.”