Rossi and Ducati: Four rounds in

Four rounds into his Ducati MotoGP career, Valentino Rossi has scored 47 points and sits fifth in the world championship.

The following list shows how that compares with the seven time MotoGP champion's previous eleven seasons in the premier-class, with Honda and then Yamaha. A further list shows the performance of the best Ducati rider since 2003.

After four rounds of 2011, Rossi has less points than all his previous seasons except 2000 and 2006 - although compared with previous Ducati riders, he's done more favourably.

Loris Capirossi in 2006, then Casey Stoner in 2007-2009, claimed more points for Ducati from the first four rounds of a season...

Valentino Rossi - Points and position after 4 rounds:
2011 (Ducati) 47 points - 5th
2010 (Yamaha) 61 points - 3rd*
2009 (Yamaha) 65 points - 2nd
2008 (Yamaha) 72 points - 3rd
2007 (Yamaha) 71 points - 2nd
2006 (Yamaha) 40 points - 6th
2005 (Yamaha) 95 points - 1st
2004 (Yamaha) 76 points - 2nd
2003 (Honda) 90 points - 1st
2002 (Honda) 95 points - 1st
2001 (Honda) 91 points - 1st
2000 (Honda) 21 points - 11th
* Rossi broke leg in practice for round four.

Ducati (best rider) - Points and position after 4 rounds:
2011 (Rossi) 47 points - 5th
2010 (Hayden) 39 points - 5th
2009 (Stoner) 65 points - 3rd*
2008 (Stoner) 56 points - 4th
2007 (Stoner) 86 points - 1st
2006 (Capirossi) 59 points - 2nd
2005 (Capirossi) 23 points - 10th
2004 (Capirossi) 28 points - 7th
2003 (Bayliss) 40 points - 5th
* Lorenzo, Rossi and Stoner were tied on points for 1st.