While Valentino Rossi was first in today’s free practice at Phillip Island and just 18 points ahead of team mate Jorge Lorenzo for the 2009 title, everyone seemed more concerned in finding out if there was any truth in the recent rumors that he would be making a controversial switch to Ducati in 2010.
The Italian rider has once again quashed all the rumors saying that he’ll be 100% in Yamaha in 2010, not only because he has a contract, but also with the present situation he sees no reason to switch teams and regarding his future for 2011 he repeated again, that he’ll start thinking about it in June of next year.
Yamaha’s Masao Furusawa and Lin Jarvis are also thinking about the future, especially Furusawa who wants Rossi to close his career in Yamaha.
The Japanese manager has put together a plan and presented it to the Italian rider this weekend, that includes a two year contract for the 2011 and 2012 seasons, and if he decides to hang up his leathers and lid at the ripe old age of 34, a position in the company.
Rossi, who was becoming continuely unsure of his future inYamaha and has made noises regarding his senior position within the garage, now knows that the Iwata manufacturer wants to keep him at all costs and this will give him more leeway when the time comes to make a decision where he’ll be going or doing in 2011.