Nine-time world champion Valentino Rossi has revealed he is keen to remain in MotoGP after his current contract with Yamaha expires in 2016.

Rossi, who leads the championship following a victory and third place finish in Qatar and Austin ahead of this weekend's third round of the series in Argentina at the Termas de Rio Hondo circuit, put pen to paper on a new deal in 2014.

However, the 36-year-old says he hopes it 'won't be his last' as he aims to continue racing in the premier class in 2017.

Rossi, speaking in the post-race press conference in Austin, said: "I have a contract for two years and I hope it's not the last one."

The Italian star finished as the runner-up in the MotoGP World Championship last year behind Marc Marquez and has made a strong start to the 2015 season on the Movistar Yamaha M1, with his rostrum finish in Texas in particular underlining the progress made by Yamaha over the winter.

"Leading the championship after two races is something not very important because the championship is very long, but anyway it is good because after Austin we are still at the top and this track is one of the most difficult of the season for the Yamaha," Rossi said.

"I always struggle in the past and also to finish the race with the front tyre, but this year it was better and I'm happy because in the practice I was not so bad; I was more or less always in the top four."

Rossi tops the standings by a single point from Ducati's Andrea Dovizioso, with Marquez five points off the top.