Drivers and teams – Rossi’s future will take shape this year: retirement or a factory Yamaha at Petronas SRT in 2021 – Used YAMAHA

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Rossi’s future will take shape this year: retirement or a factory Yamaha at Petronas SRT in 2021

Drivers and teams - Rossi's future will take shape this year: retirement or a factory Yamaha at Petronas SRT in 2021 - Used YAMAHA

Valentino Rossi, 41 years old on February 16, is kindly but surely asked to give way to Fabio Quartararo alongside Maverick Viñales in the official Yamaha team in 2021 and 2022 ! Plant support will nevertheless be assigned to him within the private Petronas SRT team if he wishes to extend: decision expected "mid-2020" … Explanations.

Being part of the official Yamaha team for the 2021 and 2022 seasons inevitably leads to the departure of Valentino Rossi: the deadline can no longer be postponed for the soon-to-be 41-year-old star: Yamaha and him jointly announce that 2020 will be "his last complete season in as a rider of the Yamaha Factory Racing MotoGP team ". 

  • MNC of January 29, 2020 :
  • MNC of January 28, 2020 :
  • MNC file : 

But leaving – or being asked to leave – the factory team does not necessarily mean hanging up the gloves: the genius of the Alpages is giving himself "seven to eight races" to assess his speed and position himself for 2021. The alternative to the retirement ? Bounce back at Yamaha Petronas SRT, as expected from his near the Malay structure !

  • MNC of January 10, 2020 : Rossi opens an exit door at Yamaha-Petronas

In other words: if Rossi decides to continue his long career (already 15 years at Yam ‘!), He would team up with Franco Morbidelli instead of Fabio Quartararo … who succeeds him at Yamaha Factory! Thanks to his track record, Valentino Rossi would in this case receive support as essential as it is precious: that of Yamaha, which keeps him a warm place in the Petronas-SRT team..

Excellent plan B for Rossi

"After discussing it together, Yamaha and Rossi have mutually agreed that the personal decision of whether the Italian will remain an active rider in the MotoGP World Championship in 2021 will take place in mid-2020", explains the Yamaha racing department..

Drivers and teams - Rossi's future will take shape this year: retirement or a factory Yamaha at Petronas SRT in 2021 - Used YAMAHA

"If Rossi decides to continue as a MotoGP rider in 2021, Yamaha will assure him the availability of a YZR-M1 motorcycle that meets factory specifications and full technical support from Yamaha Motor Co., Ltd.," says the Japanese manufacturer who offers a magnificent "golden" parachute to his – former – star pilot ! 

Nothing more logical at bottom: Yamaha would see its image tarnished if the end of its collaboration with Valentino Rossi goes badly. His fame and charisma alone fill entire bleachers, not to mention the cash drawers of motorcycle dealerships and merchants of derivative products. ! 

Moreover, Yamaha dedicates him enormous consideration for having allowed him to resume success in 2004, when Honda insolently crushed MotoGP … and the Iwata firm. It was by poaching him from Honda-Repsol that this cycle was interrupted: nobody forgot him at Yam ‘ !

Rossi author of 11% of all Yamaha GP wins !

“Regardless of the decisions for the future, Yamaha will provide full support for the 2020 season to Rossi who will start his 25th world championship in Grand Prix, his 21st season in the premier class and his 15th year with Yamaha,” calculates the team. factory which owes four world titles to n ° 46 (2004, 2005, 2008 and 2009).

Valentino Rossi is also to date the most successful rider on a Yamaha motorcycle: 56 wins, 46 second places (!) And 39 third places in his 243 races contested on a YZR-M1. The Doctor has signed no less than "11%" of Yamaha’s Grand Prix victories (503 in all): a true legend of motorcycle sport, who does not seem in any hurry to hang up if we are to believe his statements of the day !

Official statements 

Valentino rossi

"For reasons related to the transfer window for motorcycle riders, Yamaha asked me at the beginning of the year to make a decision about my future. As I said last season, I confirmed to them that I did not want not make a hasty decision and that I needed more time. Yamaha took note of this and concluded the current negotiations. It is clear that after the last technical changes and with the arrival of my new boss team, my first objective is to be competitive this year and to continue my career as a MotoGP rider also in 2021 ".

"But before I do, I still have to have answers that only the track and the first races can give me. I am happy that, if I decide to continue, Yamaha is ready to support me fully, giving me an official motorcycle. and a factory contract. I will do my best from the first tests to do a good job with my team and be ready for the start of the season ".

Lin Jarvis, Director of Yamaha Motor Racing

“Valentino’s completely understandable decision to assess his competitiveness in 2020 before making a decision about 2021 is something Yamaha respects and wholeheartedly accepts. But while we have complete respect and confidence in the capabilities and Valentino’s speed for the 2020 championship, Yamaha also has to plan for the future. Nowadays, with six motorcycle manufacturers in the MotoGP category, young, fast talent is in great demand, and as a result the rider market is starting to grow. early".

"It’s a strange feeling to start the season knowing that Vale won’t be in the official squad in 2021. But Yamaha also has to prepare for the future and will always be there for Valentino, no matter what he decides. feels confident and keeps racing, we will provide him with a factory spec YZR-M1 and full technical support. If he decides to retire, we will continue and expand our off-piste collaborations with training programs young riders from the Riders Academy and the Yamaha VR46 Master Camp, with him as the Yamaha brand ambassador ".

"Anyway, this is just speculation: we have a full season ahead of us and I can assure the fans that Valentino will have our 100% support every day, until he decides someday to hang up your leathers! ".

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