Rossi: I couldn't have wanted anything better

Valentino Rossi said he couldn't have asked for anything more as the Yamaha rider sealed a commanding 87th premier class win in the Jerez MotoGP on Sunday.

The Italian star led from start to finish on the factory M1 and was never seriously troubled as he closed out his 113th career GP victory in convincing style over team-mate Jorge Lorenzo and championship leader Marc Marquez.

Rossi, who is 24 points behind Marquez following his first victory of the 2016 season after four rounds and seven adrift of Lorenzo, said: "You cannot wait for nothing better because we started well from Friday and I feel good with the bike; yesterday I was first in both practices, especially for positions, so it was great.

"When I was on the grid, I know that I can have a good pace but in the race it is always more difficult. My mechanic said to me 'first from the first corner to the last' and I say, 'this is a good idea - I will try!'

"I did a good start and I feel good with the bike from the beginning, I had good grip. I started to her the noise a little bit more far [of chasing riders], so I think that I can have a small advantage," he added.

"I tried to push and I take it lap by lap and it was the best feeling that I can expect."

Rossi experienced the same issue with rear wheel-spin on the straights with the medium Michelin that affected Lorenzo and admitted he was forced to slacken his pace to guard against the potential for creating an even bigger problem.

"We had a lot of spin in the straight and this is very strange, but it happen also yesterday in practice - I feel a little bit, today more," Rossi said.

"In the last 10 or 12 laps, I spin very much, especially in the front straight and I start to be worried and slow down, because I had the worry that the tyre start to become too hot and start to make a vibration.

"I go on the straight with half-throttle so I don't spin and I slow down a little bit, but the good thing is that anyway the bike and the tyres work well in the corners so I can stay on 1'40.8 or 1'40.9 and I understand it was enough."

The nine-time world champion made a flying start from pole position and was able to keep his nose in front from Lorenzo, who briefly nudged ahead at turn 9 on the second lap before Rossi hit straight back to regain the lead.

"The start was fantastic and also the first corners and also on the first lap I feel already a small, small advantage," he said.

"On the second lap I wasn't perfect, I did 1'40.6, because I don't trust easily the situation and in fact Lorenzo overtake me, but I know that I have a good pace and try to come back and after from that moment I pulled away."

The victory goes some way to making amends for Rossi's spill in Austin at the previous round, but the Yamaha rider fears he may be left to rue the crash, which cost him vital ground in the championship.

"It is a shame my mistake in Austin because I could get a lot of points because I was fast, but I made a mistake so I cannot see now the championship - I am just concentrating race by race and try to be strong like this also in Le Mans," said Rossi.

"For me, Jerez is important because usually you can understand your level: if you are strong in Jerez, you can be strong in all the European races, but maybe this is true, or maybe not."

Looking ahead to round five in France, he added: "I like Le Mans, it is a good track for the Yamaha, but it is also very difficult because of the weather conditions but we have to try to work like this from Friday in Le Mans."