Fabio Quartararo will replace Valentino Rossi in the Yamaha Factory Racing MotoGP team in 2021.

Quartararo will partner with Maverick Viñales, who this week extended his contract with Yamaha for the 2021-2022 seasons.

Valentino Rossi will race his factory Yamaha this year, but will have to take Quartararo’s satellite machine in 2021, or retire from MotoGP entirely.

Rossi has decided to wait to see if he can be competitive this season before signing another deal, and Yamaha has reportedly promised him an official M1 racebike should he choose to continue.

French rider Quartararo had an impressive season last year finishing fifth in the overall MotoGP standings which earned him Best Independent Team Rider as well as Rookie of the Year.

Quartararo will continue to race his Petronas Yamaha Sepang Racing Team motorcycle for this season, however, he will be riding the factory-spec YZR-M1.

He will also gain Yamaha’s full support throughout the season.

“It was not simple to establish, but now I have a clear plan for the next three years and I‘m really happy,” said Quartararo.

“I will work hard, like I did last year, and I’m extremely motivated to achieve great performances.

“I feel like the winter period is too long – I’m really excited to go to the Sepang test next week to ride my new YZR-M1 and meet and work with my crew again.”

Spencer has a keen eye for hard news, and does some of his best living on deadline day. He loves more than anything to travel on his motorcycle, and is adamant that Melbourne Bitter is a world-class lager. He also knows how to operate the big computery thing in the office and has an Adobe membership. By night, Spencer shreds the keytar in little-known rock band Midnight Medley.

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