“It is dangerous and unbelievably fast and entirely different from the kind of track I am used to racing on.”

To be a great motorbike racer, the most important thing is passion for the bike.

I was lucky. My father raced bikes. He gave me the passion very early. I had my first bike when I was three or four years old.

But I could also start F1 or rallying. I love rallying much more.

I don’t like being famous – it is like a prison. And driving for Ferrari would make it far worse.

I race to win. If I am on the bike or in a car it will always be the same.

I would have probably stolen cars – it would have given me the same adrenaline rush as racing.

Maybe the bike is more dangerous, but the passion for the car for me is second to the bike.

I’m really happy, and beating Marc [Marquez] at the very last chicane gives me an extra boost.

The most important thing is to have a good relationship with the bike you have to understand what she wants. I think of a motorcycle as a woman, and I know that sounds silly, but it’s true.

How do Ferrari know what I’m doing next year when I don’t know what I’m doing next week?

I feel 100% a Yamaha rider in my heart. I had a long career and raced with several factory bikes, but the highlight of my career is undoubtedly with Yamaha.

I am able to ride the bike and think clearly about strategy and tyres. I also have positive thinking. I am very constructively critical.

I have so much respect for my opponents; many of them watched the races as little children and were supporting me!

If I test the car for a year I can be quite competitive the next season.

In my opinion we are at the limit now, and 17 races is really too much. With all the testing that we do now, it means we’re always on the bike and it’s quite difficult.

You look at Moto3, the races are very exciting. Moto2 is fantastic, and then MotoGP is boring.

The mind is the limit. As long as the mind can envision the fact that you can do something, you can do it, as long as you really believe 100 percent.

I’m not upset that you lied to me, I’m upset that from now on I can’t believe you.

I believe in a religion that believes in freedom. Any time I have to accept a religion that won’t let me fight a battle for my people, I say to hell with that religion.

I believe in the person I want to become.

I believe that you see something that you want to get done, you cannot give up, and you cannot give in.

The care of God for us is a great thing, if a man believe it at heart: it plucks the burden of sorrow from him.

You never know how strong you are until being strong is your only choice.

I am still learning – how to take joy in all the people I am, how to use all my selves in the service of what I believe, how to accept when I fail and rejoice when I succeed.