Having kicked off his 23rd grand prix season with a close podium finish in Qatar, Valentino Rossi moves on to Argentina fe💮eling 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 Andrea Dovizioso at Losail, with Honda rei♔gning champion Marc Marquez in-between.

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

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

"But since then the balance of the rider field has changed 🅷- 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 comm🐻itted to Yamaha and MotoGP until at least the endꦿ of 2020, added:

“For me, the riders to beat [for the title] are Dovizioso and Marquez, maybe more Dovizioso… bu🔯t I putꦍ them on the same level because Marquez always has the ability to be strong.

"I’m happy wওi🀅th my own first race, but we’re not at their level yet.”

Non♒etheless, Rossi feels a title challenge is a logical target given their progress relaꦰtive 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 fin🧸ished third and fifth; we can do more.

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

Freꦛe practice in Argentina start on Friday morning.