Valentino Rossi curious to see Ben Spies race in Valencia

Reigning world champion Valentino Rossi says he’s curious at seeing the level of performance from Ben Spies when the American make his Yamaha MotoGP debut in Valencia next month.

The Texan, who will replace James Toseland in the Monster Yamaha Tech 3 squad in 2010, will make a shock wild card appearance on a fifth YZR-M1 in the season’s final race in Valencia on November 8.

The mouth-watering prospect of Spies racing against the likes of Rossi and Toseland is an exciting one, says Italian Rossi, who goes into the final three races of the campaign leading Fiat Yamaha team-mate Jorge Lorenzo by just 18-points.

“It will be interesting for sure. I think it’s very clever from Ben to make a wild card. It will be a great advantage for him next season. Yamaha has the bike ready, so it’s a clever move for Ben’s performance next year, “said Rossi, who slumped to a disappointing fourth place in Estoril last weekend.