The Fiat Yamaha Team has unveiled a one-off special "Punto Evo" livery, which both Valentino Rossi and Jorge Lorenzo will carry onto the track for the start of practice today and throughout the Portuguese Grand Prix weekend at Estoril.

The livery is designed by Centro Stile Fiat and Aldo Drudi to celebrate Fiat's latest new model, launched this week, the Fiat Punto Evo, which is the new evolution of the popular Grande Punto. As well as the special bike livery, both the championship-leader Rossi and the current runner-up Lorenzo will have special leathers for the weekend.

Fresh from a break of nearly a month the Fiat Yamaha Team complete with Punto Evo liveried bikes is in action the coastal town of Estoril for the Portuguese Grand Prix. Returning to its more traditional end of season slot after moving to May last season, this weekend's race marks the start of the final phase of the championship with just the overseas double-header and the Valencian season finale remaining after it. Valentino Rossi and Jorge Lorenzo lie first and second in the championship and the Yamaha pair's rivalry promises a tense climax to this year's thrilling championship.

Rossi signed off for the holidays in fine fettle after taking his sixth win of the season at the last round, in front of his home fans at Misano. The 30-year-old has an exemplary record at Estoril and is the most successful rider in Grand Prix history at the track, having stood on the podium on all of his nine visits, including five wins. Last year he lost out to his then-rookie team-mate Lorenzo and finished third but the Italian will be looking for a maximum points haul this weekend as he stalks his ninth World Championship title.

With three wins under his belt this season so far, Lorenzo finished second in Misano last time out and will be hoping that a return to the scene of one of his greatest world championship performances will kickstart his championship run-in. The Mallorcan's explosive entry into MotoGP last year culminated at the third race in Portugal when he took his third consecutive pole and his maiden premier-class win. 16 months on the 22-year-old is older and wiser and he knows that nothing less than a victory will do if he wishes to increase the pressure on his team-mate, who lies 30 points ahead of him in the standings.

The Autodromo Fernanda Pires de Silva features one of the longest main straights in MotoGP and one of the slowest corners. Several other twisty sections make for the lowest average speed in the championship but the 200 km/h kink at turn five and the final Parabolica corner are two of the toughest tests of any rider's skill and bravery.