Yamaha delighted at Valentino Rossi’s contract pledge

Yamaha bosses have spoken of their delight at Valentino Rossi’s pledge that he will sign a new two-year contract to continue riding a factory YZR-M1 until the end of 2010 at least.

The Italian is on the brink of clinching a new deal and is likely to pen a two-year deal after Yamaha’s impressive recovery in 2008.

After a torrid 2007 campaign where Rossi threatened to quit at the end of his current deal unless he got a more reliable and competitive bike, Rossi is only four points adrift of series leader Dani Pedrosa at the halfway stage of the campaign.

His hint at a two-year deal has delighted Yamaha and his Fiat Yamaha team chief Davide Brivo told MCN: “Of course it is great satisfaction for everybody working with Valentino that he wants to stay for two years.

“Having the intention to sign for two more years is the best demonstration of his confidence in Yamaha and that he appreciates the effort and the work everybody put in during the winter.”

Rossi’s new contract is expected to be announced imminently and Brivio added:

“Basically now we are discussing only the small details of the contract, just some sentences and some words, but this is quite normal. Bu I would say it looks like the most important subjects are okay and it should be quite smooth.”