Rossi returns to Yamaha
Valentino Rossi will leave Ducati at the end of the MotoGP season to re-join Yamaha on a two year contract.
By William Esler
Last Updated: 10/08/12 10:05am
Valentino Rossi will leave Ducati at the end of the MotoGP season to re-join Yamaha on a two year contract.
The Italian won the MotoGP championship title four times during his stint with the Japanese team between 2004 and 2010 and will once again link up with 2010 champion Jorge Lorenzo.
Rossi will take the spot of Ben Spies, who announced he was leaving the works Yamaha team before last month's race at Laguna Seca.
"This announcement is once again excellent news for Yamaha. In June we were able to sign Jorge Lorenzo for the 2013-14 campaign and now we are able to confirm Valentino Rossi for the next two years," Managing Director of Yamaha Motor Racing Lin Jarvis said in a statement.
"In doing so we have been able to put together the strongest possible team to challenge for victories and to promote the Yamaha brand. We have run this 'super team' together in 2008, 2009 and 2010 and during that time we achieved the 'triple crown' titles with Rider, Manufacturer and Team World Championship victories for three consecutive years.
"The target for the future is obvious and we will do our utmost to achieve our goals. I have no doubt that with the experience, knowledge, skills and speed of these two great champion riders we will be able to challenge for many race wins and for the 2013 & 2014 World Championship titles.
"The signing of Valentino completes our future planning for the Yamaha Factory Racing MotoGP Team. Now that this is done we will put our 100% efforts into completing the job at hand and to supporting Ben Spies and Jorge Lorenzo in their search for race victories and for Jorge's 2012 World Championship title challenge."
