Valentino Rossi appeared to be pacing himself in Friday's two practice sessions for Sunday's Japanese Grand Prix, well aware that he need only make the podium to clinch this year's MotoGP title, which would be his sixth in the premier class.
In the morning practice the Yamaha rider clocked second behind Honda's Nicky Hayden while Casey Stoner, the reigning champion and second in the standings after Rossi, was third on his Ducati.
In the second session everyone was a little faster and it was Stoner who topped the time sheet followed by Hayden's teammate Dani Pedrosa and then Rossi.
On his arrival here for the race weekend, Rossi said he would do his best to win the Japanese Grand Prix but added that ''everything will depend on the feeling I have on Sunday morning. Should winning seem too risky, then I just might do the math and race accordingly. After all, even a podium finish will give me the title''.
The 29-year-old rider admitted that Motegi has never been a favorite track of his ''but even so it would make Yamaha very happy if I won the title here... and make me happy too''.
If the Yamaha rider does clinch his sixth title on Sunday, he will join his idol Giacomo Agostini as the only rider to win a title after a two-year gap.
''Winning a title is hard, repeating yourself is even harder, especially if you have already won seven of them, but winning after two years is a real feat,'' Rossi said.
Aside from his five premier titles, all in a row, Rossi has also won the 125cc and 250cc championships.
Rossi beat Agostini's record for the number of premier class victories when he triumphed at the US Grand Prix earlier this month and brought his total to 69.
Winning this year's championship will also allow Rossi to overtake Mick Doohan for the total number of premier titles and make the Italian the only rider ever to have won the world championship on all premier class machines, the 500cc, 1000cc and current 800cc bikes.
He will also be the only rider to win the title on five different bikes, the three premier ones along with the 125cc and 250cc machines.
