Satellite MotoGP star Fabio Quartararo will remain a Yamaha rider in 2021 after signing to join the factory team in place of Valentino Rossi.

No final decision has been made on Rossi’s future, but the Italian is either facing retirement or a switch to a satellite Yamaha squad.

‘Yamaha and Rossi have mutually agreed that the personal decision whether the Italian will remain an active rider in the MotoGP World Championship in 2021 will be taken mid-2020,’ said a Yamaha statement.

What is now clear is that Quartararo will race alongside Maverick Vinales for the 2021 and 2022 seasons, following the Spaniard’s own newly-announced contract extension.

“We are very pleased that Fabio will be joining the Yamaha Factory Racing MotoGP Team line-up for 2021 and 2022,” said Yamaha Racing managing director Lin Jarvis.