Valentino Rossi still believes that he should have emerged from the 2015 Valencia MotoGP with the championship - and remains “sad” that he missed out.
Jorge Lorenzo won the championship that year in the season-finale, a controversial race where era-defining rivalries boiled over.
Rossi needed to finish second to secure the title for himself but, while battling away in fourth, found his arch-nemesis Marc Marquez purposefully blocking his path and denying him another accolade.
"I'm a bit sad that I didn't win the 10th title," Rossi was quoted by Motorsport-Total.
"Especially because I think I deserved it because of my level and my speed.
“I missed the title twice at the last race of a season. That's why I think I deserved a 10th."
"It is what it is. I don't think I can complain about the overall balance of my career."
As well as his 2015 heartbreak, Rossi fell short at the last race of the 2006 season in Valencia. Rossi fell, and eventually finished 13th, so missed out to Nicky Hayden.
The Italian, now 43, won seven premier class championships with Honda and Yamaha, plus a 500cc and two 125cc titles.
His earliest prizes, with Aprilia at 125cc, meant that the legendary Italian did succeed with a team from his home country.
