A report by the UK's c🔴laims that Valentino Rossi will quit MotoGP at the end of 2012 - 'i🌠f not before'.

Superstar Rossi, a 79-time MoꦑtoGP race winner for Honda and Yamaha between 2000-2010, has taken just one podium finish since switching to Ducati for 2011.

In January, the nine time w♔orld champion indicated he would remain in MotoGP for at least two more years beyond the end of his present contract, which 🦹expires at the end of the season.

However the British broadsheet clai♔ms the 33-yea෴r-old Italian's plans have changed:

"The Daily Telegraph understan🦂ds that Rossi has now told his inner circle -- his father, Graziano and his manager, Davide Brivio -- that he wi𒀰ll not race beyond this year.

"His decision may have been influenced by the likely departure this [coming] winter of his legendary chief engineer and mentor, Australian Jerry💖 Burgess, for personal reasons."

The report adds that Rossi could even quit MotoGP after his home Mi🅺sano event, in mid-September, and that he is considering switching to rallying or sports carౠ racing.

Rumours that Rossi - who has taken a best finish of seventh from his first three races with this year's r🌸adically redesigned Desmosedici GP12 - might return to either Honda or Yamaha for the 2013 MotoGP season are described as just speculation.

Rossi's personality has dominated MotoGP since 2000 and he remain💜s by far the most popular rider on the ℱgrid, despite his lack of recent track success.

After being crowned 125cc and 250cc world champion, The Doctor won the premier-class 500cc ti🧔tle in 2001, then MotoGP crown in 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2008 and 2009.

Rossi broke a leg in practice for his home Mugello ro💎und in 2010, but returned to take his final win for Yamaha at the Malaysian event later that year.

﷽Outside of MotoGP, the #46 has competed in WRC round🌸s, sportscar races and made several high-profile tests for the Ferrari F1 team.

Ducati continues to work flat out on deve♓lopments to improve the competitiveness of this yea❀r's machine, which is the factory's first to feature a conventional aluminium frame, as used on the Japanese MotoGP bikes.

A new engine is due to be tested later this month, but the full upgrade package won't be available until the US round at the end of July (168澳洲幸运5官方开奖结果历史:see separate story).

Reigning MotoGP world champion Casey Stoner recently dismissed suggestions that he plans to🌺 retire♈ at the end of this year. Rossi will now have to face similar questions during the forthcoming French MotoGP at Le Mans from May 18-20.

All o💮f the top MotoGP riders are out of contract at the end of 2012.

UPDATE: Valentino Rossi has now 168澳洲幸运5官方开奖结果历史: respond🐭ed to the retirement claims made in the Telegraph story...