It’s official: Valentino Rossi is going to be a factory rider for Yamaha for two more seasons. The 9-times World Champion and the House if Iwata have sent out a press release today, issued in Gerno di Lesmo, Italy, confirming the newly-inked deal, even though in a rather laconic manner.
However, the most important news is the very fact that we’re going to see the Doctor riding Yamaha machinery for the upcoming seasons 2015 and 2016. The announcement is a great achievement for both teams even before the summer break of the current championship, and knowing that the excellent relationship will endure is certain to boost the confidence of both Yamaha and Rossi.
Rossi is currently in the second position in the world standing, with the same points with Repsol Honda’s Dani Pedrosa, but with better podium placements. Both have bagged 128 points and catching the 2013 champion Marc Marquez who is leading with a full 200 points score out of 200 possible is going to be a really hard task, if not an impossible one, as some paddock winds whisper.
After two fruitless years with Ducati, Rossi rejoined with Yamaha in 2013, but this first season aboard Iwata machinery was less spectacular than some believed it would be. However, 2014 brought a dramatic change, with Rossi parting with his long-time crew chief Jeremy Burgess and asking Silvano Galbusera to take care of the whole operations.
It looks like this move together with the increasingly better form Rossi was getting into have been the one of the missing things. Rossi stepped on the podium 5 times in 8 races, with 2 second places and one third position.
Valentino Rossi
“I am very happy to announce that I have signed a new contract with Yamaha to continue together in MotoGP for the next two years. I am very proud of this announcement. It’s very important to me because I really enjoy working with my crew and all the guys from the team, both the Japanese and European members that have been with me almost my entire career.
It’s great because this was my target; I wanted to continue, I am feeling good and I’m motivated to keep giving my best. I am very happy that I can keep riding my YZR-M1, that has been my love for so many years and will still be my love this year and the following two seasons. A big 'Thank You' to everybody, I will try to keep giving the maximum to arrive in front and make good races. Enjoy!”
Lin Jarvis, Yamaha Racing Team
“I am very happy that we have concluded the agreement with Valentino for 2015 and 2016. Since his return to Yamaha in 2013 it’s been a very positive experience for everybody involved. After two difficult years ‘away from home’ Valentino returned last year, not only to us but also to his beloved YZR-M1. Fans of racing across the world were happy to see him rediscover his competitive performance and witness him take pleasure in riding and having fun again on two wheels.
The “fun factor” is crucial to Valentino to get results – in fact when he first joined us in 2004 one of the most important motivations for his move to Yamaha was his desire to create an environment where he could enjoy racing. His enjoyment is obvious to all who meet him at the MotoGP events or who see him race on TV and is reflected in his excellent race results this year where he is currently in second position in the World Championship. We look forward to the next two and a half years together and it is our intention that Valentino will remain with Yamaha until the end of his sporting career and beyond.”
Google News