Rossi to Yamaha in 2013

By Kevin Ash - 25/09/2012

Former grand prix rider Niall Mackenzie has given a powerful hint that Valentino Rossi is indeed returning to Yamaha!

In a tweet on August 3, Mackenzie said: "Done deal! A well known Italian will definitely be on a blue bike next year, woo hoo!" There are some interesting developments with tis story too - see the comments at the end of this news item.

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Meanwhile, the Italian mainstream press has started reporting it as a done deal, suggesting it's only a matter of time before an official announcement is made.

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If this really is the case, and short of it being official it's looking very likely indeed, then it means an end to the Italian dream combination of Ducati and Rossi, and that Rossi has given up on his mission to create a championship-winning bike with the Italian factory. But the pressure will be in him once again, with nowhere to hide and no excuses as he battles teammate Jorge Lorenzo on an identical bike, even if he'll be relegated to Yamaha's number two rider.

As so often happens, MotoGP is more interesting off the track than on it!

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