Nine-time world champion Valentino Rossi has admitted it was a wrong move to leave Yamaha at the end of the 2010 season and said it was because he was annoyed they had brought in Jorge Lorenzo as a team-mate.

The Italian, who went to Ducati only to return to Yamaha last season after an abysmal two years on the Bologna bike, says he now feels there is equal treatment between the two and that his target now is to bag second in the championship.

“It was a mistake to go to Ducati, because I was annoyed with Yamaha. Because after having won (the title) with Yamaha in 2004 and 2005, after so many years in which Yamaha had been struggling, Yamaha decided to bring a very strong teammate, and then I got really annoyed at it. But now I understand I was wrong. Also because the treatment in the Yamaha box has always been very equal,” said The Doctor.

“Even in 2008 when Jorge arrived we were always at the same level, and it is still like that. This year Yamaha has made a big effort for me, to create the conditions for me in which I can give my maximum, but they also do their best for Lorenzo, and I can say we are 50/50 in terms of importance in the team.

“We have a very big challenge ahead of us from now to the end of the season, because I am in front of Jorge in the Championship standings, but he will want to catch up, and he is getting stronger. And then we also need to try and beat the Hondas.Pedrosa is not very far away in the Championship. These are the main targets we have set now.”