Valentino Rossi on joining Malaysian squad PETRONAS Yamaha SRT for 2021.

In this video interview, new-signing Valentino Rossi shares his thoughts on his 2021 Yamaha YZR-M1, his targets for 2021, what it means to join PETRONAS Yamaha Sepang Racing Team and what he expects from having a team-mate that he knows well…

I’m really happy to see my new bike for 2021. For me it’s a new experience and I can’t wait for the first test and the start of the championship in Qatar. The colour changed for me too, and I really like the livery of the bike, the new leathers, gloves, boots and my new helmet. It will be an awesome package: We are ready to start.

My targets for 2021 are to be competitive, fight to win races, fight to achieve podiums and also fight for a good position in the World Championship standings at the end of the season. We are all very focused on our targets to make the best we can.

I’m very proud to be part of PETRONAS Yamaha Sepang Racing Team. It’s a new challenge for me. This is a very young team, but in the last two years they have already been really competitive. The bike will remain the same, my Yamaha YZR-M1, and I think it will be a funny season.

Franco and I are a very interesting couple of riders. We have a good relationship; we know each other very well. We are always training and challenging together on different bikes so this year we will also do this from the same garage.

I have a long career and already spent a lot of years with Yamaha and the M1; I can’t wait to work together with the Yamaha engineers and the whole team to try to improve the performance of the bike.

It’s a long personal story with the Yamaha Factory Team, split in two parts - since 2004 -, so it’s almost a life together! I don’t expect a lot of differences because the bike is the same and we will have the full support from the factory. At the same time, it is a new team, new people in the garage, new mechanics - so a new experience for me. The team has a lot of motivation and I will give my maximum to achieve the best possible result at the end of the season together.