Rossi: Yamaha want Bridgestone too

A deal for Rossi's Yamaha to run on Bridgestone tyres next year is understood to have been all but finalised this weekend.

"Yamaha wants Bridgestone, and also I'm quite happy to have them," Rossi said. "I think they give us the answer not this weekend, but next week."

He was adamant that Masao Furosawa, boss of Yamaha's MotoGP project, was in full agreement with the decision to split with Michelin.

"The situation is very clear, from our side. We struggled quite a lot with Michelin for the last two years," said the former champion.

"I speak with Furosawa, with (crew chief) Jeremy (Burgess) and with all the engineers about what we do for next year.

"I say, 'we change'. Furosawa says 'for me, it's better we change'. We don't fight, we are agreed. It's not possible to say (it's down to either) Valentino or Yamaha."

Rossi said the fact that the other Yamahas will remain on Michelins should not be taken as evidence that the team are not fully supportive of the move.

"From the first moment it was clear that Bridgestone doesn't have tyres for two riders," he said. "We continue, with Masao, to push a lot. Bridgestone said one set of tyres or nothing."

He also dismissed suggestions that Ezpeleta told Bridgestone he would insist on a switch to control tyres if the company did not accede to Rossi's request.

"My tyres, and the one tyre rule, have no link together. It's not true," Rossi insisted.

The Italian has been criticised for wanting to abandon Michelin after one difficult season despite having achieved so much success on the French tyres during his career.

He defended his desire to change to the tyres that had proved superior this season.

"It's normal in all of racing that everybody tries to take the best partner for the best performance," Rossi said.

Rossi would not be drawn on how he would respond if Bridgestone did not agree to supply him, amid speculation that he could consider quitting MotoGP rather than remaining on Michelins.

"I don't know, I have to make a decision," he said.