JAKARTA - Valentino Rossi warmly welcomes the arrival of Italian compatriot Andrea Dovizioso as his new partner in the Petronas Yamaha SRT team.
Yamaha on Thursday officially announced Dovi's new contract as well as the transfer of the rider to the Yamaha satellite team to replace Franco Morbidelli who was promoted to the factory team to partner with former team-mate Fabio Quartararo.
"I am very happy to have Andrea as a team-mate because, firstly, we have a good relationship and we are also rivals because we have been fighting each other in MotoGP since 2008 and I think we have had some good fights," Rossi said at a press conference ahead of the Grand Prix. San Marino reported by Antara.
"It's important for the championship because over the years he's always been a top rider, and also I'm curious to know how he feels about this bike."
After parting ways with Ducati at the end of last year and taking a "leave" from MotoGP this season, Dovi did not expect to be back competing in the premier class despite having helped Aprilia conduct a number of private tests this year.
He will return to battle with the premier class's top drivers in the final five races of the season before resuming his stint on the SRT team for a full season in 2022.
"The level this year is very high and the lap times of each rider are very tight, but I went into the last five races without any pressure," said Dovi.
"I will need a little time to get used to the bike and my riding style to Yamaha. You can't change that overnight, but I'm very happy to have had the opportunity in the last five races to see what I can do."
Racing at Misano will also be an emotional day for the home fans as Valentino Rossi makes his final appearance at the circuit just 10km from his home before retiring at the end of the season.
On a number of previous visits, Rossi has bagged three wins at Misano as well as six podium finishes and one pole position.
The final race at Misano will be held next month titled the Grand Prix Made in Italy.
"This is a special place for me because this is where I first rode a big bike, and it's a feeling I will never forget," said Rossi.
"It's a difficult track, and also physically demanding, but I really like it and enjoy it."
After the poor result in Aragon, Rossi hopes to provide an interesting spectacle to his fans at the San Marino GP later.
"We had a consistent pace in Aragon during the free practice sessions but we couldn't show that in qualifying and in the race, so hopefully this weekend will be better for us," said Rossi.
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