Valentino Rossi will not continue to race for the Yamaha factory team the Japanese bike manufacturer announced on Sunday evening. After seven years the Italian will move on to new challenges the team's press release said. Rossi is rumoured to join Ducati in 2011, but an official announcement is expected later this evening.
Lin Jarvis, Managing Director of Yamaha Motor Racing, said "On behalf of the Yamaha Motor Group, I would like to express our sincere gratitude for the amazing seven years that we have spent together. Valentino joined Yamaha in 2004 at a moment when Yamaha was struggling in road racing after eleven seasons without a championship victory.
“Valentino's victory at his first GP race for Yamaha in South Africa in 2004 was an incredible moment and was just the first of many more race wins that have thrilled MotoGP fans and Yamaha fans around the world. His unsurpassed skills as a racer and a development rider enabled him to win four MotoGP world titles to date with us and helped Yamaha develop the YZR-M1 into the ‘the bike of reference' for the MotoGP class.
“There have been so many wonderful experiences and victories and we are very proud to have been able to make history together. Whilst we regret Vale's decision to move on, at the same time we fully respect his decision to search for a new challenge and we wish him the very best for 2011 and beyond.
“For the remaining eight races of 2010 Valentino will remain a Yamaha Factory rider. As such he will continue to benefit from our full support and we hope and expect to see some more race wins with him ‘in blue' before the season is over!”
Series
MotoGP
Personalities
Valentino Rossi
Teams
Yamaha Factory Racing
Other
Get your official MotoGP tickets at Sportstadium.com
| Valentino Rossi | |||
|---|---|---|---|
 |  |  |  |
| More Valentino Rossi photos | |||
English
Nederlands
Español
Italiano
