Currently, despite the deconfinement in several European countries, the MotoGP paddock still remains virtual, like the numerous remote interviews carried out by the riders or the last Grand Prix Commission. But, as usual, that obviously doesn't stop him from buzzing with rumors, some of which come back to our ears...
We hide most of them, either because of a confidentiality clause or for lack of elements allowing us to think that they are something other than rumors, but it also happens that several diffuse elements overlap and, at that moment , we share it with you.
This is the case today for two of them, one concerning Misano, the other concerning Valentino Rossi.
According to “Radio Paddock”, Misano would be the venue for a private MotoGP test even before the Jerez test on Wednesday during the first Grand Prix which could possibly take place there from Friday July 17.
The Italian route would be rented by Ducati in June to have its MotoGP riders ride there on their racing machines. They would be joined for the occasion by those from Yamaha, possibly those from Aprilia and Suzuki, or even those from KTM.
This private session would be motivated by the fact that some manufacturers pushed to run from Tuesday of the week previously mentioned in Jerez, apparently without success.
It remains to be seen which tires could be used for this test,
Michelin having to date not resumed the manufacturing of its casings intended for MotoGP and having no data on
the new coating that was laid in Misano last March …
The other rumor concerns Valentino Rossi.
It seems that the latter has decided to continue his career with a factory motorcycle at Petronas in 2021, with an option for 2022.
Since then, a project would exist to field the multiple Italian champion at the 8 Hours of Sepang from December this year, in the company of Franco Morbidelli, on an R1 prepared by YART, in Petronas colors or not.
Nothing would be finalized yet, but the Doctor was initially expected for a warm-up on the Red Bull Ring circuit, before he even attempted to ride at Misano, without success. His departure by private plane to Austria, where he was turned away, was therefore not necessarily as improvised as one might think…
In any case, the running of the YART took place without him, without
Franco Morbidelli and without Michael van der Mark, itself designed for this warm-up on a production R1.
Concerning this file, that's all we've heard, but we can't help but think that it all seems quite coherent, with even a logical sequence that's quite easy to imagine: Rossi signs with Petronas SRT for one year, renewable with the support of Yamaha, Petronas SRT requests participation in the 8 Hours of Sepang (very well paid as it should be), Rossi accepts (he already won the 8 Hours of Suzuka in 2001 with Colin Edwards for Honda) and… asks for it green light to take part in a few races on four wheels to prepare for your future reconversion! We will not forget that Hafizh Syahrin took part in last year's Sepang 8 Hours weekend on both two and four wheels…
There you have it, you know about as much as we do, but let's never forget that, in this kind of rumor, the one of the day is not necessarily that of the next day, as long as nothing is officially announced...
