Italy's Valentino Rossi will have his last chance on Sunday to equal the record for top-flight motorcycling victories in a single season .

The 26-year-old Yamaha rider has won 11 of the races held so far in 2005 and needs one more to match Australian Mick Doohan, who won 12 in 1997 .


"This is my objective for the last race of the season," he said during a press conference, recalling that he won in Valencia last year and the year before. If he wins on Sunday, Rossi will also equal Doohan's record of 54 career wins. Given that the Italian has recently signed a contract to race with Yamaha again next year, that record looks likely to fall in 2006 .

While Rossi wrapped up the MotoGP title several weeks ago, there is still a battle going on behind him for the runner-up spot.This tussle has now been reduced to two Honda riders: American star Nicky Hayden and another Italian, Marco Melandri, who achieved the rare feat of beating Rossi two weeks ago in Turkey .

Melandri, 23, says he has sensed a certain coldness in his superstar compatriot ever since the last race, which dashed Rossi's hopes of beating Doohan's record .

The younger rider was quoted in the sports press on Friday as saying Rossi gave him a "strained smile" when they met after the race in Istanbul .

Melandri denied that he is going out to win again in Valencia, saying he was more worried about getting the points he needs to clinch second place in the standings. He needs to make sure Hayden does not score nine points more than he does .