Valentino Rossi and VR46 have some big MotoGP decisions to make in the early stages of the 2021 season. The first concerns the future of Rossi's legendary career, having signed only a one-year Yamaha contract to join the satellite Petronas team.
Whilst acknowledging that Valentino Rossi's departure from its Factory MotoGP team is a 'significant moment', Yamaha Racing boss Lin Jarvis doesn't expect a major change in how the YZR-M1 is developed in 2021.
Suzuki project leader Shinichi Sahara is not excluding the possibility of a satellite MotoGP team for 2022, despite disruption caused by the departure of factory team manager Davide Brivio.
With hindsight, did Yamaha move too early in deciding it's 2021 Factory MotoGP team line-up? Maverick Vinales was re-signed on January 28, 2020 (before pre-season testing had begun) with Fabio Quartararo announced as his future team-mate the following day.
The Motorcycle Grand Prix history books will record that Franco Morbidelli got within just 13 points of becoming the first-ever satellite world champion of the four-stroke MotoGP era.
Suzuki may have claimed the 2020 title without the benefit of a satellite team, but it looks a question of 'when' not 'if' the factory expands its MotoGP line-up.
Fabio Quartararo didn't only lose his final chance of the 2020 MotoGP title when he fell last time at Valencia, but dropped from second to fifth in the world championship standings.
Franco Morbidelli's first priority for this weekend's Valencia MotoGP is to find a cure for the front tyre pressure issues that wrecked his chances at the same track last Sunday.
A scoresheet of 32-8 in favour of Joan Mir at the pair of Aragon rounds has put the Suzuki rider into a 14-point MotoGP title lead over Fabio Quartararo heading into this weekend's opening Valencia race.
Fabio Quartararo began the Aragon double-header with a ten-point MotoGP World Championship lead over Joan Mir but left with a 14-point deficit to the Suzuki rider.
Franco Morbidelli's second MotoGP victory at Aragon on Sunday propelled the Petronas Yamaha star to within 25-points of title leader Joan Mir, with three rounds to go.
With the top four in the MotoGP title chase starting Sunday's Teruel MotoGP from 4th (Maverick Vinales), 6th (Fabio Quartararo), 12th (Joan Mir) and 17th (Andrea Dovizioso), it's far from certain that - just as last weekend - any of the quartet will take home the full 25 points.
Fabio Quartararo insists he's not dwelling on losing the MotoGP title, which he had held since the start of this season, due to soaring front tyre pressure last Sunday at Aragon.
MotoGP title contenders Fabio Quartararo, Joan Mir and Maverick Vinales fighting tooth-and-nail on the last lap of the French Grand Prix was not a surprise. But the prize up for grabs wasn't a race victory, or even a place on the podium.
All four Yamaha riders have featured on the MotoGP podium this season, with three of them winning races. But with six rounds to go, a split in their championship fortunes is threatening to form.
Having regained the MotoGP title lead with a return to the top step of the podium in Catalunya, Fabio Quartararo now heads for his home round at Le Mans this weekend.
Franco Morbidelli's inspiring message on his special Misano MotoGP helmet design resulted in a phone call from none other than film director Spike Lee.