With younger brother Luca Marini now confirmed as joining HRC in place of Marc Marquez next season, perhaps a #46 NSR500 will finally be heading to Tavullia in the near future.
With 89 wins, currently stretching from the 2000 British Grand Prix to the 2017 Dutch TT, Valentino Rossi tops the all-time list for most 500cc/MotoGP race wins.
Valentino Rossi is the only rider left on the MotoGP grid to have also raced in the previous 500cc era. After winning world titles in the 125 and 250cc classes, the Italian stepped up to the premier-class to pilot the notorious 500cc two-strokes in 2000.
"This kind of motorcycle is something really special and I'm looking forward to seeing such a young and physically prepared rider on it" - Guy Coulon, Tech 3.
Relive the excitement and thrills of the days of Wayne Rainey, Mick Doohan, Kevin Schwantz, Alex Criville, Loris Capirossi, Luca Cadalora, Max Biaggi and Valentino Rossi in Duke Video's special new Grand Prix DVD collection
The words 'Indy' and '500' might normally bring to mind the world famous car race, but on Sunday they referred to Kevin Schwantz being reunited with the Suzuki RGV on which he won the 1993 500cc World Championship.