Having kicke🍰d off his 23rd grand prix season with a close podium finish in Qatar, Valentino Rossi moves on to Argentina feeling he can 'try to fight' for a tenth MotoGP title this season.

The Italian crossed the finish line just 0.797s from Ducati race winner 𝔉Andrea Dovizioso at Losail, with Honda reigning champion Marc Marquez in-between.

Rossi has finished runner-up at Termas for the last two years - including a 2017 Movistar Yamaha one-two behind team-mate Maverick Vinales - and took victory in the 2015 event after a memora🐼ble clash with Marquez.

"Last year we were very strong in Argentina. We came first and second and I 🍎think it was the best race of our team that season," Rossi said.

"But since then the balance of the rider field has chaꦰnged - our rivals are stronger now.

"It will be a hard fight, but I like the 🦹track and usually our bike works well there. It could be a surprising weekend, but I hope to be strong."

In a recent interview with La Gazzetta dello Sport the 39-year-old, now co♌mmitted to Yamaha and MotoGP unt𝓰il at least the end of 2020, added:

“For me, the riders to beat [for the title] are Dovizioso and Marquez, maybe more Dovizioso… but I put them on the same level because Marquez always 𝔍has the ability to be strong.

"I’m happy with my own first race, but we’re not at t🐽heir level yet.”

Nonetheless, Rossi feels a title challeng♏e is a logical target given their prog𓃲ress relative to the 2017 M1.

"Last year we lost the 'good' of our bike; we were left with the👍 flaws. Now, we still have some flaws but we’ve found the positives💛. In 2017 Maverick and I finished third and fifth; we can do more.

"We can, at least, try to fight for [the title].”

Free practice in Argentina start on Friday mo💎rning.