MotoGP World Championship leaders Valentino Rossi and Jorge Lo✤renzo have welcomed the 'early' arrival of Ben Spies to grand prix racing for the 2010 season.

On the eve of this weekend's Portuguese Grand Prix it was confirmed that the 2009 WSBK rookie and title contender will switch to MotoGP next season, replacing James Toseland at the satellite Tech 3 Yamaha t𝓡eam.

Rossi, who claimed he only knew of Spies' decision when it was publically announced on Thursday, said the move m♒ade sense for the Texan.

"I expected that Ben would make another seaso🐻n in Superbike, but I understand because his target is to arrive in MotoGP," said Rossi, the reigning six time MotoGP champion.

"Also he has the chance to win the WSBK championship already this year𓆉, because he is very close to Nori [Haga].

"I think it is the right decision to come straight away. He is ﷽quite young and he will now have one ᩚᩚᩚᩚᩚᩚ⁤⁤⁤⁤ᩚ⁤⁤⁤⁤ᩚ⁤⁤⁤⁤ᩚ𒀱ᩚᩚᩚextra year to gain experience and to understand MotoGP. He will be another great rival for next season.

"I think Spiꦺes has the potential, but for sure he will need time to understand the bike and th🐎e tyres and he will have to demonstrate that he can be a top MotoGP rider," clarified Rossi. "Anyway, I think he will be good for Yamaha's future and it is good for MotoGP.

"We are not a lot, but the quality is very high. So the number [of riders in Moto🐬GP] is not fantastic but with Ben all the best motorcycle riders in the world will be racing in MotoGP so it is more interesting."

But R♕ossi warned that Spies faces a tougher task than those entering MotoGP from 25ꦰ0cc.

"For me MotoGP riding style is very close to 250 riding style now and riders like Jorge, but also Dani [Pedrosa], Stꦉoner and maybe Simoncelli next year - a༒rriving from 250 - have a big advantage over the riders coming from Superbike," he said.

"Because the riding style with Bridges🌞tone tyres is more similar to 250 and a big difference fromไ Superbike. Also the 250 riders know nearly all the tracks and World Superbike riders only two or three of them.

"So I think it is a lot more difficult for World Superb🍃ike riders to arrive at the top in MotoGP, at the beginn🗹ing, compared to rider from 250 like Jorge - who took three poles in the first three races last year.

"But maybe it is just a matter of time, because Ben is young and I think he is the only guy from 🤪Superbike who is a♔ble to try and win in MotoGP at this moment."

Rossi starts the final four rounds of the 2009 season with a 30 point lead over factory Yamaha team-mate Lorenzo, who also🐻 thinks highly of Spies.

"It is very go🧜od news for Yamaha to have another very strong rider," said the Spaniard, the only rider other than Rossi to win an 800cc grand prix for Yamaha. "He is one of the best riders at the moment in Superbike. I think he is a strong character and I think he can do great things in MotoGP."

Yamaha's full 2𒐪010 MotoGP line-up is thus confirmed as Rossi and Lorenzo at Fiat Yamaha, plus Colin Edwards and Spies at Monster Yamaha Tech 3.

Triple AMA Superbike champion Spies - who made his Mot🔜oGP debut with Rizla Suzuki last season and claimed a best race finish of sixth - starts the final two rounds of the 2009 World Superbike Championship just three points behind Haga (Ducati💖).