Rossi: Marquez wants the title, I like his attitude

MotoGP rookie Marc Marquez's impressive performance on day one of the Sepang test has only reinforced Valentino Rossi's opinion that the Moto2 champion can fight for victory from his first premier-class race.

But, observing Marquez on Tuesday, Rossi added that the Spanish teenager looks like he has his sights set on an even greater goal.

"I expect - and said three or four months ago - that Marquez can fight for victory from the start of the season," said seven time MotoGP champion Rossi.

"But I like his attitude a lot because in his mind, looking at him today, it looks like he wants to win the championship at the first try. This is good.

"We hope he will make some mistakes or problems due to lack of experience!" Rossi joked. "But if not he will be very strong for everybody."

Marquez, replacing the retired Casey Stoner at Repsol Honda, concluded the opening day of 2013 testing in a close third place, just 0.044s from team-mate and fastest man Dani Pedrosa.

Rossi, riding his first dry laps since returning to Yamaha, was fourth quickest while team-mate Jorge Lorenzo split the factory RCVs with second on the timesheets.

Testing at Sepang, the first of three official pre-season tests, concludes on Thursday evening.