As Casey Stoner's grip on his world MotoGP crown weakens, rival Valentino Rossi insists the Australian remains a major contender for the title.
Stoner has struggled since he opened his bid for back-to-back championships with a victory in the season-opening race in Qatar.
Technical and set-up problems have sent him spinning back to fourth place on the points standings, 25 points adrift of series leader Dani Pedrosa of Spain.
Stoner returned to the podium at the last race in China with a third place but was well off the pace set by winner Rossi.
However the Italian Yamaha rider, third on the table behind Pedrosa and fellow Spaniard Jorge Lorenzo, said Stoner remained well in the hunt for the title.
"I think the Ducati will still be strong but now the difference we suffered last year is not there anymore," Rossi told motorcyclenews.com.
"Yamaha and Honda have improved a lot with the engine but I still think that Casey will be fighting all the way for the world championship.
"Last year Casey was impressive. He rode like a devil so he deserved the championship and he's number one, but now we are closer.
"He is a great rival but it is possible to battle with him every Sunday."
Meanwhile, Australian Anthony West and his teammate John Hopkins have been promised improvements by their battling Kawasaki team.
Kawasaki has been frustrated by the 2008 ZX-RR's lack of speed, emphasised by a dismal performance in Shanghai recently.
Hopkins, not helped by the wrong tyre choice, finished in 14th place while West was 17th.
Kawasaki MotoGP chief Michael Bartholemy admits that while Rossi and Yamaha have leapt ahead, his team should be closer in speed.
"For sure Yamaha has made a big step and we could be better," Bartholemy said.
"We know we have to concentrate on this bike now for the next races and we will not stop.
"We have a very heavy engine testing program, which I believe is more than any other factory.
"We are not missing much but we need to make a small step," he said.
