Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP’s Valentino Rossi says he’s committed to extending his MotoGP™ career beyond 2020, despite Fabio Quartararo taking his seat in the factory Yamaha garage from 2021.

In a statement released by Yamaha today, The Doctor says he needed more time to consider his future beyond the upcoming season but that his “first goal is to be competitive this year and to continue my career as a MotoGP rider also in 2021”.

“For reasons dictated by the riders‘ market,” said the nine-time World Champion. “Yamaha asked me at the beginning of the year to make a decision regarding my future. Consistent with what I said during the last season, I confirmed that I didn’t want to rush any decision and needed more time. Yamaha has acted accordingly and concluded the ongoing negotiations.

“It is clear that after the last technical changes and with the arrival of my new crew chief, my first goal is to be competitive this year and to continue my career as a MotoGP rider also in 2021. Before doing so, I need to have some answers that only the track and the first few races can give me.

“I‘m happy that, should I decide to continue, Yamaha is ready to support me in all respects, giving me a factory-spec bike and a factory contract. In the first tests I will do my best to do a good job together with my team and be ready for the start of the season.”

(Story and photos from MotoGP.com)