VOLUME 57 ISSUE 5 FEBRUARY 4, 2020 P33
Rossi, Yamaha
Break Up?
V
alentino Rossi has been
dropped by Yamaha, but
at the same time given carte
blanche to remain. Replaced
by Fabio Quartararo for next
season (2021), the Italian su-
perstar, who turns 41 in Febru-
ary, has been given the time by
the Japanese factory to decide
his future as he pleases during
the 2020 season.
The factory opened the new
"silly season" by announcing on
January 28 that Maverick Vinales'
contract had been renewed for
two years, scotching rumors that
he was considering a move back
to Suzuki. The next day came the
shocking news that his partner
in the factory team for 2021 and
2022 would be 20-year-old Fabio
Quartararo, after his stunning
debut with the new Petronas-
backed satellite team in 2019.
After losing Johann Zarco,
Quartararo's compatriot prede-
cessor as a star satellite Yamaha
rider, the factory wanted to make
certain that they did retain con-
trol of the new discovery.
But where did this leave
the company's superstar rider
Rossi, Yamaha's most successful
premier-class rider, with four of
his seven titles with the marque?
The news came directly on the
heels of the Quartararo signing.
Although 2020 would be his
last full season as a Factory Rac-
ing MotoGP Team rider, it wasn't
the end of the story.
By mutual agreement, he has
been given until "mid-2020"
to decide whether he wants to
continue racing MotoGP. But if
he does decide to carry on, he
will still have a factory bike. The
official statement read: "Should
Rossi decide to continue as a
MotoGP rider in 2021, Yamaha
assures Rossi of the availability
of a factory-spec YZR-M1 bike
and full Yamaha Motor Co. Ltd.
engineering support."
Whether this would be with the
Petronas satellite squad was un-
certain. The bullish new-for-2019
squad's stated intention was to
develop new talent. At the same
time, the publicity value of Rossi
is a powerful drawcard.
However, another possibility
would be a self-financed one-rider
team similar to that of 2000, the
first of his 20 years in the top class.
Fourteen of those have been
with Yamaha, four with Honda,
with two fallow years in an ill-
advised sojourn with Ducati, the
Italian dream team that turned sour
in a rare blip in a gilded path that
started in the 125cc class in 1996.
His remarkable career, span-
ning 115 wins (seven less than
Giacomo Agostini) started when
motorcycle grand prix racing was
all-two-stroke and has seen him
dominate in all three classes.
At the same time, his sunny
personality has created an
unprecedented fan base, and
played a major role in extending
the appeal of MotoGP beyond
the world of motorcycles to be-
come a major world sport.
Rossi explained his decision,
saying he needs more time to
decide.
Yamaha Racing MD Lin Jarvis
described Rossi's decision as
"totally understandable." While
Yamaha retained confidence in
Rossi, "at the same time Yamaha
also have to plan for the future.
These days, with six motorcycle
manufacturers in the MotoGP
class, fast young talents are
greatly in demand."
Michael Scott
Valentino Rossi
will make room
on the Yamaha
factory team
for young
superstar Fabio
Quartararo
(and Maverick
Vinales) in 2021.
PHOTO: GOLD & GOOSE
