Nine-time world champion Valentino Rossi would be happy to move to the satellite Petronas MotoGP team if Yamaha needed him to make a space for Fabio Quartararo in 2021.

Rossi must decide in the early part of this season whether he is to carry on racing or to retire but his paymasters also need to look at the long-term future of the team - which may or may not include current team-mate Maverick Vinales.

The Spaniard will be on everyone’s shopping list for the season after this and has been strongly linked with a move to the works Ducati team. Rossi, meanwhile, could do a swap with Quartararo if Vinales decides to stay put.

“I don’t see that big of a difference. I would rather stay where I am, but as I said, we are three and the seats are two, so you have to think of a third,” said Rossi.

“And even if it’s Petronas, the team doesn’t seem bad to me. But maybe Vinales will go away. Or Quartararo changes brands. Who knows what he’s thinking about.

“I would like to have a little more time, unfortunately everything in MotoGP is decided today at the beginning of the year. I will need a little bit, maybe halfway through the season. I will speak to Lin and Yamaha to understand how they see it.”