Valentino Rossi signs as Yamaha Brand Ambassador: "A great emotion"
Although Ros🔜si retired from MotoGP after the 2021 season, an꧂d his VR46 MotoGP team uses Ducati machinery, the nine-time world champion has continued to use Yamaha bikes for training and leisure.
The new agreement between Rossi and Yamaha is&nbs🐼p;described as a 'multi-year ambassador service'.
“For sure, this agreement bet🍌ween 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. “We worked together for many years in the past, so it feels natural.
“During my MotoGP career I rode Yamaha bikes as part o𒁏f my contract. But even after retiring, I kept using Yamaha bikes because I enjoy it.
“I‘m happy that the agree🔯ment is now signed, so Yamaha and I get to work together in tꦫhis new set-up.”
Yamaha Racing managing director Lin Jarvis s๊aid: “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 since he retired from his successful career.
“Valentino and his M1 shared a special bond. His 🧜arrival at Yamaha was the catalyst that completely changed our MotoGP racing programme to the point that Valentino and Yamaha almost became synonymous.
“Together we achieved many wins, podiums, and four championships, and then there are also the moments behind the scen🐷es: the hard work but also the fun part𒊎s and the shared passion for racing.
“We always considered Valentino a🧸s ’family‘, and as soon as he expressed his desire to keep using Yamaha bikes and to become a Brand Ambassador, we went to work to make it happen🍌. We are thrilled that Valentino is now officially our ambassador.”
The news follows ongoing s🌜peculation that VR46 - currently leading the MotoGP standings with Marco Bezzecchi - could become Yamaha’s sate✱llite team in future.
VR46, which runs Bezzecchi and Rossi’s young brother Luca Marini on 2022 spec Desmosedicis, has a contract with Ducati until the en꧙d of next season in the premier-class, but already runs the Yamaha MasterCamp team in Moto2.
Peter has been in the paddock for 20 years and has seen Valentino Ro♏ssi come and go. He is at the forefront of the Suzuki exit story and Marc Marquez’s injury issues.
