Valentino Rossi impressed with Ben Spies

Valentino Rossi has told MCN how impressed he has been with World Superbike sensation Ben Spies in 2009.

The 30-year-old Italian, who is chasing a seventh MotoGP world title in 2009 as the paqddock heads to Australia and Malaysia, told MCN: “I am very impressed with him. I know that he decided to go to Yamaha because he wants to eventually arrive in MotoGP.

“This was clear when I spoke with him last year. For him World Superbikes is not his target. He is young and he is strong and we are waiting for him. And now we don’t have to wait long.”

The Texan has won 13 races in a hugely impressive debut WSB campaign and will go onto the final race of 2009 facing a final shootout with factory Ducati rider Noriyuki Haga.

Spies will race Rossi on a Yamaha YZR-M1 in the last MotoGP round in Valencia next month, the 25-year-old securing a wild card ahead to help his preparations for his maiden 2010 premier class campaign.

He will replace British rider James Toseland in the Monster Yamaha Tech 3 squad next season and join fellow American Colin Edwards.