Rossi back in Brazil, plays football with Cafu

While Movistar Yamaha team-mate Jorge Lorenzo spent the run-up to this weekend's Austin MotoGP conducting PR activities in Colombia and Mexico, Valentino Rossi returned to Brazil, exactly one year after his last visit.

The nine-time world champion was determined to make his one-day stop count and completed a hectic schedule from the moment he touched down in Sao Paulo at 4.30am this morning.

That included a track ride and quick game of football with Caf?, the most internationally capped Brazilian player ever and the only person to have appeared in three World Cup finals, winning in 1994 and 2002.

Rossi later joined another Brazilian legend, former rival Alex Barros, for an interview for the Linha de Chegada TV show.

"Coming to Brazil is always special and I always get surprised by the fans and their passion for me and for MotoGP," said Rossi, runner-up to Marc Marquez in the 2014 Qatar season opener.

"Today I enjoyed a lot all events, I had fun and it was a nice way to have some rest and fun before heading to Austin. Meeting Caf? was a surprise. I had a lot of fun with him on track on our R1s although later he had more fun when we played soccer. He is still strong, even stronger than me!"

MotoGP's Brazilian return has been delayed until 2015 - but Rossi provided yet another hint that he will sign a new contract to continue racing next season by saying: "I look forward to coming to Brazil again next year and meeting all my fans on track, on the occasion of the Brazilian GP."

First practice at Austin takes place on Friday morning.