Valentino Rossi will onl✅y need two or three races to und🤪erstand his level of competitiveness, according to Monster Yamaha team director Massimo Meregalli.

Like most of the grid, the MotoGP legend is out of contr﷽act at the end of this season, with the ꦕ41-year-old facing a milestone decision over whether to extend his racing career.

Rossi says he will only continue if he's competitive. That 'wait-and-see' stance has already cost the Italian his place at the official Yamaha team to Fabio Quartararo next year, although the factory has pledged to give Rossi full support at a satellite team if he does co🦩ntinue.

Most believe Rossi planned to use the six races prior to his home Italian Grand Prix on May 31 to make a decision, but the coronavirus pandemic means the new season is unlikely to startꦉ until June at the earliest.

Could the compressed season complicate Rossi's big decision? Not according to team boss Meregalli, who told : "For a r𒉰ider of his calibre, I think 2-3 races is enough. Vale is a very intelligent person who immediately understands his level."

Like his Yamaha colleagues, Rossi had an encouraging winter on the latest M1… until the final outing in Qatar, when last year's tyre degradation issues suddenly reappeared during The Doctor's r꧃ace simulation.

Meregalli insisted Rossi had kept 'some margin' in testing and was 'satisfied', but admitted th🌊e tyre wear problem needs addressinౠg.

made his deꦆbut at the Malaysian GP in the 125cc cla🔥ss.

— wuqian0821.com/MotoGP (@crash_motogp)

Meanwhile, 𒈔Meregalli has few question 😼marks over the potential of team-mate Vinales, who will stay on to partner current Petronas star Quartararo in 2021.

"Maverick was very fast, he found a lot of confidence in race pace with the bike and ty🃏res. The same was true of Quartararo," Meregalli said.

"From what we saw at the tests I would say Vinales" wo෴uld have won the season-💖opening race, he added.

Qatar is the only round so far can♛celled for the MotoGP class, but runn🍌ing all 19 remaining rounds is increasingly unrealistic.

"I personally think that before July it is impossible to start," said Meregalli. "I am of the opini😼on that holding 12-13 races would be a fair number."