While Movistar Yamaha team-mate Jorge Lorenzo spent the run-up to this weekend's Austin MotoGP conducting PR activities in Colombia and Mexico, Valentino Rossi returned to Brazil, exactly on🍸e year after his last visit.

The nine-time world champion was determined to make his one-day stop count and completed a hectic scܫhedule from the moment he touched down in Sao Paulo at 4.30am this morning.

That included a track ride and quick game of football with Caf?, the most internationally capped Brazilian player ever and the only person to have appeared in three World 🍰Cup finals, winning in 1994 and 2002.

Rossi later joined another Brazilian legend, former rival Alex B🔥arros, for an interview for the Linha de Chegada TV show.

"Coming to Br✤azil is always special and I always get surprised by the fans and their passion for me a🐻nd for MotoGP," said Rossi, runner-up to Marc Marquez in the 2014 Qatar season opener.

"Today I enjoyed a lot all events, I had fun and it was a nice way to have some rest and fun beforeꦜ heading to Austin. Meeting Caf? was a surprise. I had a lot of fun with him on track on our R1s although later he h🌃ad more fun when we played soccer. He is still strong, even stronger than me!"

MotoGP's Brazilian return has been delayed until 2015 - but Rossi provided yet another hint that he will sign a new contract to continue racing next season by saying: "I look forward to coming to Brazil again next year and meeting all my fans on track,😼 on the occasion of the Brazilian GP."

First practice at Austin takes place on Friday🍸 morning.