Valentino Rossi to debut 2009 Yamaha in Japan test

Valentino Rossi will get his first chance to assess Yamaha’s 2009 prototype YZR-M1 during a brief test session at the Twin Ring Motegi circuit next Monday, MCN can reveal.

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While most of the paddock will be rushing down to prepare for the Phillip Island race in Australia on October 5, Rossi will complete his first evaluation laps on next year’s YZR-M1 to give Yamaha engineers crucial early feedback.

Sources close to Rossi’s Fiat Yamaha team confirmed the test this morning in Tokyo. Rossi, who could clinch his sixth premier class world title in Sunday’s Japanese GP, will only test on Monday morning, with the majority of his Aussie crew heading home from Japan on Monday night flights.

Last year at the same post race test session, Suzuki also rolled its early 2008 prototype GSV-R machine, but no other factories have unveiled any plans to join Rossi and Yamaha on Monday.