The summer break for MotoGP has begun and Valentino Rossi has three weeks to decide whether he will continue in the MotoGP World Championship season in 2022 or end his glamorous career.
The Italian is having a tough 2021 season, his first with the Petronas SRT Yamaha satellite team, a run of form that last strengthened at the Dutch TT when he was eliminated for his fifth non-score in five races.
With 19th place in the overall standings at the start of the midseason, Rossi keeps his cards close to his chest with regard to his future plans.
On the subject of matching items
While many believe this will be the final chapter in a career that has resulted in seven MotoGP / 500GP World Championships and 89 victories, Rossi has two potential driving options in 2022, should he want them.
One is with their newly completed VR46 Racing team, which will be using Ducati machines, or a possible suspension of execution with Petronas SRT activated, in part because Yamaha – in honor of its greatest champion – is unlikely to fire it even if the team itself it has indicated it wants to use the seat for a younger upstart.
Since then, Rossi’s former team-mate Maverick Vinales has announced that he will be leaving Yamaha at the end of the year. Shaking things up, since Franco Morbidelli would move up to the factory it would result in at least one vacant seat at PSRT. Rossi insists the Spaniard’s decision will not affect his.
“I’ve always said that I know that this year will be difficult, a big challenge,” reflects Rossi, who moved to Petronas from the factory Yamaha team in 2021.
“But my decision for next year depends very much on the results. So the results for the first half of the season are not what we expect. We hope to be stronger to fight for better positions so that the result is not right. ” Help us.
“I said at the beginning of the season that next week I would decide next year and it will be. I will let you know when I make up my mind.”