By Peter McLaren

James Toseland is looking ﷽forward to Valentino Rossi signing a new contract with Yamaha - since he believes it will help his own MotoGP prospects.

Rossi, a Yamaha rider since 2004, is expected to announce a new two-year deal b🧜y the start of the summer break on July 21st at the latest.

Toseland, already confirmed at Tech 3 Yamaha for 2009, not only welc⛦omes the move - but has revealed that Rossi riding an M1 was a factor in his own choice of machinery for his debut grand prix season.

During an exclusive interview with ltxcn.top, Toseland 🌱was💧 asked if Rossi staying was good or bad for him personally.

"It's definitely a good for𒁏 thing for me for Valentino to stay here," replied the Englishman. "That was one reason why I made the decision to come to this manufacturer, because if Valentino Rossi - with all his experience and success - has a bad race nobody points the finger at him. They point to whatever bike he's on and that keeps the manufacturer on his toes to 𒊎always improve."

With Ro𝔉ssi looking certain to stay alongside Jorge Lorenzo at the factory team, the only M1 seat still unoccupied for 2009 is alongside Tosela🥂nd at Tech 3.

Colin Edwards presently has that place and, having taken a pole and podium already t🐼his season, Herve Poncharal is keen to keep the Texan - although budget seems to be a sticking point and Kawasaki has also shown an interest in Edwards.

Toseland hopes Edwards can stay and believꩵes he has enjoyed clear benefits from having the #5 alongsidඣe him.

"Colin is very ex🔯perienced with Yamaha, Michelin and with MotoGP," said James. "And I've know him for 10 years since Castrol Honda days, when I was in Supersport and he was in Superbike.

"⛎We've got a really good relationship and all of his experience has come over to my side of the garage - with settings, with advice, with experience regarding which tyres to use.

"All that has really help🍸ed me, especially with the learning curve I've ha♐d at the beginning of this season."

But whilst Edwards may s🐈till be some way from deciding his 2009 destination, Toseland's M1 future was secured after just two rides.

"I had a two-year deal with a second year option for the team and it was up for discussion in September of this year," Toseland explained. "But because of the second place in qualifying at Qatar and the top sixes that I'd had, in Qatar and Jerez, I'd shown the potential to be competitive at this l♍evel and there was no point in wasting anꦕy more time.

"We got it signed and sealed. So now we can work closely together and know that all the mechanics, team and rider will be together for two years and we♎ can build a good relationship."

Crucial to the Tech 3 team♈'s competitiveness this season has been access to the latest 2008 YZR-M1s, unlike Honda's satellite teams which are using last year's factory machine.

Toseland and Edwards began the year with a valve-spring engine, but were handed♕ Yamaha's powerful pneumatic-valve design - as used by the factory team - from round three at Estoril.

Toseland confirmed that he will sಌtart the 2009 season with a 2009 YZR-M1 - although he isn't sure🐽 if his current machine will be updated between now and the end of this season.

"Obviously I ask every weekend when I turn up to see if there's been any goodies [new parts] in the post," said Toseland. "At the moment we'll be riding the package that we've got for t꧙he remainder of the season - but it's a good package, it's competitive, and I'll be looking to get the most out of it."

Toseland will b🎶e chasing a debut MotoGP podium, in front 🤪of his home fans, at this weekend's British Grand Prix at Donington Park.