Valentino Rossi signs as Yamaha Brand Ambassador: "A great emotion"
Although Rossi retired from MotoG♔P aꦗfter the 2021 season, and his VR46 MotoGP team uses Ducati machinery, the nine-time world champion has continued to use Yamaha bikes for training and leisure.
The new agre🐓ement between Rossi and Yamaha is described as a 'multi-year ambassador service'.
“For sure, this ag💎reement between me and Yamaha gives a great emotion,” said Rossi, who won four of his MotoGP titles with Yamaha and is present at Jerez for this weekend's Spanish MotoGP. “Wꦕe worked together for many years in the past, so it feels natural.
“During my MotoGP career I rode Yamaha bi🌃kes as part of my contract. But even after retiring, I kept using Yamaha bikes be🦩cause I enjoy it.
“I‘m hꦬappy that the agreement is now signed, so Yamaha and I get to work together in this new set-up.”
Yamaha Racing managing dire🎐ctor Lin Jarvis said: “Of course, this is a great moment for Yamaha and it‘s also an emotional development for the fans, who I‘m sure miss Valentino‘s presence in MotoGP since꧒ he retired from his successful career.
“Valentino and his M1 shared a speci🔯al bond. His arrival at Yamaha was the catalyst that completely changed ou🥂r MotoGP racing programme to the point that Valentino and Yamaha almost became synonymous.
“Together we achieved many wins, podiums, and four championships, and t🌃hen there are also the moments behind the scenes: the hard work but also the fun parts🌼 and the shared passion for racing.
“We always considered Valentino as ’family‘, and as soon as he expressed his desire to keep using Yamaha bikes and to become a Brand Ambassador, we wen𒁏t to work to make it happen. We are thrilled that Valentino is now officially our ambassador.”
The news follows ongoing speculation that VR46 - curr✤ently leading the MotoGP standings with Marco Bezzecchi -ܫ could become Yamaha’s satellite team in future.
VR46, which runsꦚ Bezzecchi and Rossi’s young brother Luca Marini on 2022 spec Desmosedicis, has a contract with Ducati until the end of next season in the premier-class, but already r☂uns the Yamaha MasterCamp team in Moto2.
Peter has been in the paddock for 20 years and has seen Vaဣlentino Rossi come and go. He is at the forefront of the Suzuki exit story and Marc Marquez’s injury issues.
