Image: Supplied.

Spaniard Maverick Vinales has signed a two-year contract extension with Yamaha that will see him remain part of its factory MotoGP World Championship team through the 2020 season.

Vinales, 23, is the first of the title contenders to make a commitment beyond this season and his signing is an instrumental one just days out from the first official pre-season test of this year.

“I’m really happy that Yamaha and I have extended our contract by two more years,” Vinales explained. “It’s great for me and the team that we were able to make this announcement this early on, because it gives us a sense of calm. We know that I will continue riding my M1 for the coming three seasons, so now we can just focus on the actual racing.

“I’m very satisfied with this decision. I have a lot of belief in the team and in Yamaha and I’m happy that they feel the same way. I want to thank Yamaha for their vote of confidence and also the fans, who are always supporting us. We will continue to work hard, we will be pushing to the maximum at all the grands prix and I look forward to three more incredible seasons together!”

Vinales finished his first year with Movistar Yamaha in third-place last season. With three race wins and a total of seven podium finishes in 2017, it’s expected he will rise to become a stronger title-challenger this season alongside teammate Valentino Rossi.