Early 2020 Was The Determinant Of Togetherness For Rossi And Yamaha

Rossi in Australian GP (Twitter/ValeYellow46)

JAKARTA - Early 2020 will be a crucial time for Valentino Rossi. According to him, his appearance at those times will determine the decision whether he will leave or stay with Yamaha.

"Better not to extend (if the performance with Yamaha does not improve in early 2020)," said Rossi as quoted by Motorsport.com, Friday, December 27.

Rossi did experience a difficult second half of the 2019 racing season. He was constantly beaten by his team-mate, Maverick Vinales. Not to mention the presence of Petronas Yamaha's new star, Fabio Quartararo, who has pushed Rossi's position even further throughout the season.

Currently, the Italian rider occupies the seventh position in the standings. This is Rossi's worst position since his first season with Ducati in 2011.

The 41-year-old racer is currently serving the remaining one year of his contract with Yamaha. Rossi is still uncertain. He needs a more solid team to help him advance on the track.

"Next year will be very important ... At the end of 2020, my contract expires. So, unfortunately I have to decide immediately what to do, whether to continue or not," said Rossi at the 12 Hours of Gulf in Abu Dhabi.

Another factor that could influence Rossi's decision is the rumor of Lorenzo's return. The Spanish racer is said to have spoken with Iwata about his move.

"If he comes back to the M1, he will be strong ... The problem is he wants a lot of money and for Yamaha it's a bit difficult," said Rossi about the possibility of Lorenzo joining Yamaha.