More no than yes for Rossi in Valencia: Garrett Gerloff ready to replace him on the factory Yamaha | News

It will be the American Garrett Gerloff to replace Valentino Rossi riding the official Yamaha in the twelfth round of the MotoGP World Championship in Valencia in case the nine-time world champion (still positive at Covid-19 yesterday) does not prove negative to the double negative buffer necessary to fly to Spain. Gerloff made his World Superbike debut this year with the GRT team, climbing the podium three times and taking 11th place in the overall standings.

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A real race against time is what Valentino Rossi is facing to be present at the European Grand Prix, with which the final sprint for the MotoGP title takes place this weekend. So Valentino commented the situation:

“Unfortunately, yesterday I did another test and it came back positive, like all the previous ones. Luckily I still have two more chances to get back on track on Friday or Saturday. I’m very sad because I feel good and I can’t wait to get back in my M1 and rejoin my team. I really hope the next PCR test result is negative, because missing two races is already too much. This virus is very complicated and serious. I was sick for two days, then in a few days I was back to being completely fit, 100%. I have always isolated myself at home and followed medical advice closely. It’s a very sad and difficult situation, but that’s the way it is. “

The last appearance of the Doctor on the M1 factory dates back to the unfortunate French GP on 11 October at Le Mans (crash at, first lap), followed by forced stop for the double appointment in Aragon, where Yamaha had chosen not to replace him and to go out on track with only Maverick Vinales. If Rossi fails to negativize himself in time, the 25-year-old Garrett Gerloff will have the opportunity to make his MotoGP debut in the final of the season which (after a fifth and a third place in the US Superbike championship of the last two years) saw the 25 year old Texan rider make his debut in the World Championship of the series derivatives, closing him just outside the top ten.

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