ROSSI ATTENDS YAMAHA CHAMPIONSHIP CELEBRATION FACTORY VISIT

Recently crowned MotoGP World Champion Valentino Rossi made a historic journey
to Yamaha's head office today in Iwata, Japan to visit the facility and the
people that supported his 2004 campaign. He also received a personal 'thank you'
from the company's president Mr. T. Hasegawa. The flamboyant Italian arrived at
Yamaha Motor Company's Communication Plaza by helicopter and was greeted by the
huge applause of management and factory staff upon his arrival.

After receiving a personal message from Mr. T. Hasegawa, Rossi then made a
number of appearances throughout the Yamaha complex before participating in the
official press conference. It was at that moment that Mr. T. Hasegawa presented
Rossi a certificate of ownership for a YZR-M1 - the very YZR-M1 which he piloted
to his sixth world title.

"Valentino Rossi is more than the world's best motorcycle racer; he is a
personality that is not limited to just the confines of the MotoGP championship,"
explained Mr. T. Hasegawa. "From the moment you work with Rossi you instantly
become a fan, and you are naturally driven to give more than 100 percent to
support him. It is this very trait, and his ability as a rider that led to him
winning the world title in his first year. Because of this skill and personality
I am proud to present Valentino with the YZR-M1 as a sign of our appreciation
for his efforts this year."

A very happy Rossi said: "This is the best gift I could wish for. I must say
thank you to Yamaha and Mr. Hasegawa for giving me my very own M1 to take home.
I'm not sure where I will keep it, maybe next to my bed, or maybe in a safe at a
bank!"

Rossi was then taken on a private tour of the Yamaha prototype factory where the
components of his YZR-M1 are produced, before attending an official Yamaha
championship celebration dinner in his honour in nearby Hamamatsu.

Rossi and Yamaha's Factory Team now head to Malaysia for a test at the Sepang
circuit next week, where Rossi will make his second outing aboard the 2005
prototype YZR-M1.