KOMPAS.com – Director of Petronas Yamaha SRT, Johan Stigefelt, is ready to continue the initial mission if Valentino Rossi decides to retire as a MotoGP racer.
Johan Stigefelt expressed this when talking about the potential of the Petronas Yamaha SRT at the 2021 World Championship.
In MotoGP 2021, Petronas Yamaha SRT will fight with Valentino Rossi, who previously appeared on the factory team, Monster Energy Yamaha.
Rossi, who has agreed a one-year contract with Petronas Yamaha SRT, has exchanged places with the talented young French racer, Fabio Quartararo.
Also read: Valentino Rossi’s opinion about the Yamaha riders list in MotoGP 2021
Thus, Rossi will be Franco Morbidelli’s teammate in MotoGP 2021.
Meanwhile, Fabio Quartararo side by side with Maverick Vinales on the Monster Energy Yamaha team.
Rossi who joins the satellite team does not mean dropping levels.
Because, in fact, Petronas Yamaha SRT has a promising capital to compete.
Read also: Razlan Razali: Valentino Rossi Will Find a True Family at Petronas Yamaha SRT
The Malaysian racing team has shown a competitive performance since entering the MotoGP premier class in 2019.
In the first year, Petronas Yamaha SRT reaped success through debut rider Fabio Quartararo who finished fifth in MotoGP 2019.
In the following season it was Franco Morbidelli’s turn to reap success by becoming runner-up.
With this capital, Johan Stigefelt believes that Petronas Yamaha SRT can compete again in MotoGP 2021.
Also read: Ahead of MotoGP 2021, Valentino Rossi is self-aware and knows where his shortcomings are
Moreover, their two current riders, Rossi and Morbidelli, have a special relationship in a career in the world of racing.
Morbidelli was one of Rossi’s students while still studying at the VR46 Academy.
“Rossi’s relationship with Franky (Morbidelli) is very good,” Johan Stigefelt was quoted as saying BolaSport.com from Motosan.es.
“It’s true he can’t hide feeling a little nervous, excited, at the idea of working with a legend like Valentino.”
“But in the talks we’ve had so far, everything is going very well. I think everything will be fine, I’m sure,” said Johan Stigefelt.
Also read: Valentino Rossi is not a special person at the Petronas Yamaha SRT
On the same occasion, Johan Stigefelt also talked about Rossi’s future, who has now reached the age of 41 years.
Rossi only signed a one-year contract with Petronas Yamaha SRT.
Therefore, there is no clarity regarding the future of the winner of the seven times MotoGP world title. In fact, Rossi could retire after the 2021 season.
Regarding this possibility, Johan Stigefelt admitted that he had prepared a plan.
He said that Petronas Yamaha SRT is ready to continue the initial mission if Rossi decides to retire and does not want to appear in the 2022 season.
Also read: When Yamaha Receives Desperate Valentino Rossi
Petronas Yamaha SRT’s initial mission was to develop a younger generation like Fabio Quartararo.
“We will see Rossi’s performance in the first months, and we will see if he wants to continue racing in 2022,” said Johan Stigefelt.
“If he has to retire, we will look for a debutant racer. Because our ambition is still the same, namely to develop the younger generation, like Fabio before,” said Johan Stigefelt. (Muhammad Husein)
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