MOTOGP: Rossi wants 'normal' fight for title

Valentino Rossi hopes the appeal against his punishment for colliding with Marc Marquez will let him have a "normal" race against MotoGP title rival Jorge Lorenzo in the Valencia finale. Rossi is awaiting the Court of Arbitration for Sport's verdict on his bid to have the penalty that will put him to the back of the Valencia grid overturned.

He was given three points on his licence for taking Marquez out at Sepang last month, which added to an earlier point for delaying Lorenzo in Misano qualifying triggered a grid penalty.

"I'm still waiting to hear the decision of the CAS, but I hope I can do a normal GP to battle and fight for the title on equal terms with Jorge," said Rossi, who heads to Valencia with a seven-point advantage over Lorenzo in the championship.The Italian said he would try his utmost to put the furore over his clash with Marquez aside at the finale.

"It will be a very intense weekend and also a very important one," Rossi said. "I want to think just about what will happen at the track. My goal is to work at my best capabilities with my team and make the most of every session to get to the race on Sunday with everything I need to express myself in the best way possible. I'll try to do my best on the track."

Lorenzo, who argued that Rossi's penalty was too lenient and tried to become involved in the CAS hearing, said he would also try to move on at Valencia.

"In Malaysia we got a good result and we recovered more points in the championship, but I will skip past all that happened there and stay focused in Cheste, where there is a lot at stake," he said. "I will give everything on the track to get this championship title."

Originally on Autosport.com