Valentino Rossi to announce future: 'Exceptional press conference' in Austria

UPDATE: Valentino Rossi announced that he will retire from MotoGP at the end of this season.

Nine-time world champion Valentino Rossi looks to have made a decision on his MotoGP future.

An update to the Thursday schedule at the Styrian Grand Prix now includes an 'Exceptional Press Conference with Italian MotoGP rider Valentino Rossi' from 16:15-16:50.

Such special press conferences, run by Dorna in the official Press Conference Room, are only arranged for major announcements.

Replaced by Fabio Quartararo at the Factory Yamaha team this season, Rossi has endured a disappointing opening nine rounds at the satellite Petronas Yamaha squad.

The Doctor hasn't finished higher than tenth place in a race and sits just 19th in the world championship.

Rossi pledged that a decision on his future would be made during the summer break, which ends this weekend, with the 42-year-old thought to be facing a straight choice between retiring from grand prix racing or joining his own VR46 Ducati team.

"It would be fantastic for me if Valentino Rossi could compete in the next few years as a rider in our Aramco Racing Team VR46 together with his brother Luca Marini," said Saudi Arabia's Prince Abdulaziz bin Abdullah bin Saud bin AbdulAziz Al Saud, upon confirming Aramco would sponsor the new VR46 MotoGP project for the next five seasons.

However, Rossi - who has always insisted that results are the key factor in deciding his future - had responded it would be 'very difficult'.

"I will think more deeply [about the future] in the summer break. I also have to speak with Yamaha and the team. We want to try for better performances and better results for sure," said Rossi. 

"The season until this moment was not fantastic under this point of view [results]. I think it will be very difficult also that I race next year. 

"Always, the Prince pushes me to race next year with my team and Ducati. But at the moment I think it will be very difficult."