Ducati confirmed on Sunday that Valentino Rossi will join them from the Fiat Yamaha team at the end of the season.
Italian signs two-year deal with Italian manufacturer
Ducati confirmed on Sunday that Valentino Rossi will join them from the Fiat Yamaha team at the end of the season.
The two-year deal between the reigning MotoGP world champion and the Italian manufacturer brings to an end his hugely successful association with Yamaha, who he joined in 2004.
"We are delighted that Valentino Rossi will be with us from 2011. He is a paragon of excellence in the world of motorcycling," Ducati Motor Holding president Gabriele Del Torchio said.
Rossi has won four MotoGP world titles with the Japanese manufacturer since joining from Honda in 2004, and the 31-year-old admitted leaving the team had brought a special relationship to a close.
"It is very difficult to explain in just a few words what my relationship with Yamaha has been in these past seven years," said Rossi, who finished fifth in Sunday's Czech Grand Prix having recently made a comeback after suffering a broken leg earlier in the summer.
"Many things have changed since that far-off time in 2004, but especially 'she', my M1, has changed.
Memories
"At that time she was a poor middle-grid position MotoGP bike, derided by most of the riders and the MotoGP workers.
"Now, after having helped her to grow and improve, you can see her smiling in her garage, courted and admired, treated as the 'top of the class'.
"Now the moment has come to look for new challenges; my work here at Yamaha is finished.
"Unfortunately even the most beautiful love stories finish, but they leave a lot of wonderful memories, like when my M1 and I kissed for the first time on the grass at Welkom, when she looked straight in my eyes and told me 'I love you!"'
A Yamaha team statement read: "Valentino has played a huge part in the history of Yamaha and he will always remain an important part of Yamaha's heritage.
"Yamaha is extremely grateful for Valentino's contributions to its racing successes over the past seven years and it would like to wish him the very best in his future racing endeavours.
"Yamaha will be putting all its efforts into ensuring a successful and happy end to the partnership over the remaining races."
Replacement
Yamaha are expected to draft in American Ben Spies as Rossi's replacement in the factory squad.
Spies' place in the satellite Tech 3 Yamaha team is likely to taken by Britain's Cal Crutchlow, who currently rides for the Japanese manufacturer in World Superbikes.
Rossi will replace 2007 world champion Casey Stoner at Ducati - the Australian having already announced that he will leave to join Honda next season.
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