Source: Yamaha Racing.

Nine-time world champion Valentino Rossi has acknowledged Yamaha will need to work hard if they’re to challenge Honda in MotoGP this year.

Rossi has been vastly improved this season, his second back at Yamaha, however he and teammate Jorge Lorenzo have been struggling to match factory Repsol Hondas as Marc Marquez marches toward back-to-back titles.

Entering Jerez this weekend, Rossi says it’s one of the most important races of the year as Yamaha battles to close the gap to Honda in the first European round of 2014.

“Jerez is one of the most special and important grand prix weekends of the season,” the Italian explained. “The track is fantastic and there will be a lot of fans so the target is to improve and make the podium.

“We have to work a lot, the bike is good but we have some weak points which we have to improve to go faster so we can fight with the Hondas.”

Rossi currently sits third in the world championship behind the factory Honda pairing of Marquez and Dani Pedrosa, trailed by Ducati’s Andrea Dovizioso in fourth.