Breaking news
MotoGP
MotoGP hiatus has "messed up" Rossi's future plans
Valentino Rossi admits the forced hiatus for MotoGP due to the coronavirus pandemic has “messed up the plan” he had for deciding his future beyond the 2020 season.
Lewis Duncan Matteo Nugnes
Edited: Apr 1, 2021, 6:19 AM
Copy link
Share on Viber
The 41-year-old nine-time grand prix motorcycle world champion did not commit to a contract extension with Yamaha at the start of the year as he wanted to judge his performance after the first seven or eight races to see if it was worth him continuing.
This lost him his place at the works team to 2019’s rookie sensation Fabio Quartararo, though Rossi has been guaranteed full factory support with Petronas SRT should he choose to continue his career.
However, with the season now unlikely to start before June, this has played havoc with Rossi’s plans for deciding his future.
“This [the coronavirus lockdown] has messed up the plan,” Rossi told Sky Sports in Italy. “We will have to understand when we will be able to race.
“[The delay] seems to be going long, because they have also cancelled the European Football Championship.
“So I think it will be difficult [to start the season] before July.
“Regarding my choice, I was hoping to be able to decide if to continue after the first part of the season, but now everything [has] slipped.
“I would like a few races to understand if I can be competitive. That would be important.”
Read Also:
MotoGP promoters Dorna Sports and governing body the FIM have previously stated its intentions to try and run all remaining 19 races this year, with the idea of two-race weekends having been mooted.
Rossi says this idea is “interesting”, but thinks holding the minimum contractually required 13 events under the usual weekend format will likely “be enough”.
“This year, the important thing would be to do as many races as possible,” he said.
“It is not said that doing 19 races is fundamental.
“The Superbike double race [weekend format] would be interesting, but the minimum to make the championship valid is 13 races.
“Maybe it would be enough to do those well and keep the current format.
“Let's see what [Dorna CEO Carmelo] Ezpeleta will decide, but above all we must see what the virus will decide ".
We want your opinion!
What would you like to see on Motorsport.com?
Take our 5 minute survey.
- The Motorsport.com Team
Read and post comments
Read also :
Share Or Save This Story
Copy link
Share on Viber
Previous article MotoGP postpones planned season opener at Jerez
Next article Marquez: MotoGP “has responsibility” to keep people at home
Top Comments
There are no comments at the moment. Would you like to write one?
View More & Comment
More from
Lewis Duncan
MotoGP 2025: Full rider line-up revealed
MotoGP
MotoGP
MotoGP 2025: Full rider line-up revealed
A year on from Marquez’s Germany MotoGP meltdown, has Honda improved?
MotoGP
MotoGP
German GP
A year on from Marquez’s Germany MotoGP meltdown, has Honda improved?
What’s behind MotoGP’s right-hander chaos in Germany practice?
MotoGP
MotoGP
German GP
What’s behind MotoGP’s right-hander chaos in Germany practice?
More from
Valentino Rossi
The closest finish in MotoGP history: Toni Elias over Valentino Rossi 20 years ago
MotoGP
MotoGP
Portuguese GP
The closest finish in MotoGP history: Toni Elias over Valentino Rossi 20 years ago
Marc Marquez to read Valentino Rossi’s new book “when I retire” from MotoGP
MotoGP
MotoGP
San Marino GP
Marc Marquez to read Valentino Rossi’s new book “when I retire” from MotoGP
Valentino Rossi abandons Nordschleife Permit plans for 2026
Endurance
Endurance
NLS8
Valentino Rossi abandons Nordschleife Permit plans for 2026
Latest news
FIA expects F1 races in Qatar and Abu Dhabi to continue as planned
Formula 1
F1 Formula 1
United States GP
4 h
FIA expects F1 races in Qatar and Abu Dhabi to continue as planned
TDS Racing doubles down on IMSA program with two-car LMP2 return
IMSA
IMSA IMSA 4 h
TDS Racing doubles down on IMSA program with two-car LMP2 return
Why Isack Hadjar doesn’t like F1 sprints anymore
Formula 1
F1 Formula 1
Singapore GP
4 h
Why Isack Hadjar doesn’t like F1 sprints anymore
Ross Chastain and Shane van Gisbergen to race for JR Motorsports again in 2027
NASCAR O'Reilly
NOAP NASCAR O'Reilly
Phoenix II
5 h
Ross Chastain and Shane van Gisbergen to race for JR Motorsports again in 2027
Feature
Discover prime content
Subscribe and access Motorsport.com with your ad-blocker.
From Formula 1 to MotoGP we report straight from the paddock because we love our sport, just like you. In order to keep delivering our expert journalism, our website uses advertising. Still, we want to give you the opportunity to enjoy an ad-free and tracker-free website and to continue using your adblocker.
You have 2 options:
- Become a subscriber.
- Disable your adblocker.
Subscribe now Already subscribed? Sign in here
Already disabled your adblocker?
Reload page
Manage Alerts
Subscribe