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Valentino Rossi raced for Yamaha from 2004 to 2010
Valentino Rossi to leave Ducati and rejoin Yamaha
Valentino Rossi will leave Ducati at the end of the season after signing a two-year contract with Yamaha.
Rossi, 33, will race alongside rival Jorge Lorenzo after rejoining the team he left at the end of 2010.
The Italian won 46 Grand Prix races and four world champion titles over a seven-year period with Yamaha.
"By signing Jorge Lorenzo and Valentino Rossi, we have put together the strongest possible team," said Lin Jarvis, Yamaha managing director.
"This is a big coup for Yamaha. I don't think Valentino can beat Jorge Lorenzo over a season but he is still a top rider and this is a chance for him to win races again before the end of his career, which will be great for the sport. From Ducati's point of view, it is a PR disaster, but maybe a change of rider is what they need to make them competitive again."
Rossi is currently eighth in the championship standings. Lorenzo leads the 2012 MotoGP World Championship by 23 points and has taken five victories from the 10 races so far.
"This announcement is once again excellent news for Yamaha," added Jarvis.
"In June, we were able to sign Jorge Lorenzo for the 2013-14 campaign and now we are able to confirm Valentino Rossi for the next two years.
"We have run this 'super team' together in 2008, 2009 and 2010 and during that time we achieved the 'triple crown' titles with rider, manufacturer and team world championship victories for three consecutive years.
"I have no doubt that, with the experience, knowledge, skills and speed of these two great champion riders, we will be able to challenge for many race wins and for the 2013 and 2014 world championship titles."
Lorenzo's current team-mate, Ben Spies, had already confirmed he will leave Yamaha at the end of the season.
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Comment number 50.
Steve C12th August 2012 - 23:02
It was just a matter of time before Rossi need to change teams. No former champion can stand this amount of disappointment. The only fault is that Stoner won't be there to play next year !!!!!
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Comment number 49.
Pezza 4612th August 2012 - 21:50
Rossi developed The YZF M1 He wont ever be unknown to what that bike can do it will be close yes but it think 2013 will be a battle and 2014 will be his last title win and last Motogp Year, Look back when everyone thought he wouldnt win when he had to start from pit lane and have a 15 second wait and he won the race by 10 seconds remember when he showed up the Moaner at Seca & Lorenzo at Cata
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Comment number 48.
Pezza 4612th August 2012 - 21:38
In 2007 when Stoner Won his title he was on a whole different package than 2008 when he won the championship he said to Ducati i want to keep the bike like this and Ducati Being Ducati Didnt listen too him and looked what happened from then on in he fell off and never won a title on the Duke again So it Ducati's fault for there own failure
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Comment number 47.
Tilney100412th August 2012 - 17:29
Pretty sure that crash at Laguna made Rossi's mind up, I mean if my road bike did that I'd be baffled, let alone a £1m MotoGP bike. The way it just let go in a straight line under braking was just damn dangerous. Ducati really are more than one step behind Honda and Yamaha now, and even if Rossi would have stayed for 5/6 years I couldn't see that bike winning a title or getting close tbh.
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Comment number 46.
jonny 511th August 2012 - 22:25
the surgery is open once more !
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Comments 5 of 50