Rossi agrees two year contract with Yamaha

[NateDogg]

From MotoGP.com
10/11/03



Rossi agrees two year contract with Yamaha

Lin Jarvis confirms Rossi deal


Yamaha Motor Co., Ltd. have today announced the completion of a two year contract with MotoGP World Champion Valentino Rossi. Despite comments from Rossi at the press conference to announce his departure from Honda last week that he could not confirm his destination until after the 31st December, Lin Jarvis, Managing Director of Yamaha Motor Racing, has officially confirmed that the Italian will be incorporated into the factory squad from the 1st January and will make his debut on the YZR-M1 at the first round of the new season on the 18th April.

"We are all extremely happy that Valentino will be joining Yamaha in 2004," commented Mr Jarvis. "In our discussions with him it is clear that he relishes the challenge of achieving our goal in MotoGP as much as we do. He is an incredible talent and will make a huge difference. Obviously there is a lot of hard work ahead of us, but we are confident that we can give Valentino the means to achieve more World Championships and we look forward to the challenge ahead. This is a very important step in our plan to re-establish Yamaha as a leading force in Grand Prix racing.


"

Rossi will be joining Spaniard Carlos Checa in the Yamaha factory team based near Monza in Italy and run by team director Davide Brivio. Checa's current team-mate, Marco Melandri, will move to the Tech 3 Yamaha team (currently the Gauloises Yamaha Team), managed by team principal Hervé Poncharal. Both teams will continue under the Yamaha-Altadis umbrella sponsorship agreement with the Gauloises and Fortuna brands, although final colours and co-sponsors for the 2004 season have yet to be announced.

 

[rajflyboy]

Rossi Taking on a new challenge. Hmmm Should be interesting to see how this works out for him. The Yamaha did pretty good this past year. Maybe with him on it things will go really well!!

I still say Go Nicky !!!!!

 

[NateDogg]

Go Nicky for sure! Did you see him on two wheel tuesday this week? good interview.

Next year is going to be one for the ages. The most dominate rider is recent time let go of perhaps the best bike ever and going to a team with the potential but the goods arn't there...yet. If anyone can help yamaha develop that bike, its rossi. So this will be an oppertunity for Max to beat rossi and no excuses will be made due to equipment anymore. And I think, not for sure, but Colin is going to be in a honda next year. That will be a battle with nicky. And also I think Ducati is going to field 2 more bikes with Neil and Ruben at the helms of those and I don't hink they will have a factory WSB team.

 

[rajflyboy]

I did see the Two Wheel Tuesday show! I like the method Nicky's dad used to teach him balance when he was young! Take one of the springs out of the bouncy horse and see if he could balance it, then when he could do good with one missing...dad took out the 2nd spring! Interesting!!!!!!!!