Rossi leaves Honda?

The Spanish press is reporting that double MotoGP world champion Valentino Rossi has sensationally turned his back on Honda... and signed for Yamaha!

AS reports that the Italian was given until last Sunday's Pacific Grand Prix to sign a new Honda deal, but that deadline passed without a signature from the 24-year-old superstar - ending his Honda career.

Rossi is said to have declined a new Honda deal 'not because of money, but because of their mentality' and seems to have lost total trust in the company with which he could win his third consecutive premier-class title on Sunday.

The decision to supply similar machinery to all six RCV riders next season is thought to have angered Vale, and was seen as an attempt by HRC to undermine his number one status.

And so it is Yamaha, not previous favourites Ducati, whom the paper reports as winning the Italian's services for 2004, with the 10 million euro M1 move - thought to include key members of Rossi's current team moving with him - set to be announced as soon as the world title is wrapped up, possibly this weekend.

While the Spanish media is adamant the deal is done, until it is officially announced anything could still happen - remember the talk of Mick Doohan leaving Honda for Yamaha? - and desperate last gasp bids for the greatest motorcycle racer currently in competition can be expected... watch this space!

Nevertheless, should the switch take place, it will signal a huge step for the four-times world champion who has always been on the most competitive machinery since moving to the then 500cc class in 2000.

By contrast, the YZR-M1 won just two GPs in the hands of Max Biaggi last year, and so far in 2003 Yamaha's best result has been a lone third place, courtesy of Alex Barros, at the wet/dry French GP.

Yamaha also haven't won a premier-class world championship since Wayne Rainey's third in 1992. Since then, Honda have claimed every crown except the 1993 and 2000 championships which both fell to Suzuki (Schwantz and Roberts Jr. respectively).

Meanwhile, these are the other rider rumours associated with Rossi's apparent move, as provided by El Mundo Deportivo, another Spanish paper:

"Aprilia's Colin Edwards could take Rossi's place at Repsol Honda, but the Spanish oil company doesn't want two Americans so unless Hayden moves Repsol will switch their support to the D'Antin Ducati outfit with Hodgson and a Spanish rider (Checa or Xaus). Rossi himself will move to the Gauloises Yamaha Team, with Alex Barros moving to Fausto Gresini's Telefonica outfit alongside Gibernau. Olivier Jacque may move to Aprilia..."

Rossi's departure would almost certainly mean that Gibernau, Biaggi, Hayden and the Italian's replacement (Edwards?) will all receive full factory support from HRC - they'll need it to prevent Rossi and perhaps a Ducati rider leaving them 'red faced' by stealing the 2004 title.