There are certain inevitabilities about the so-called “silly season” The main one is that, the sillier the rumour, the more likely it is to come true. This week’s zinger suggests that Valentino Rossi “will” be going back to Yamaha but will be doing so on a salary that is a fraction of what he is receiving now and that, should he do so, he will have to play #2 role to Jorge Lorenzo, the incumbent #1 and current wunderkind.
Let me quote the usually pretty reliable asphalt and rubber comments on the subject…
“The second seat at the Factory Yamaha team awaits, though that ride is not so richly rewarded, financially at least. The offer from Yamaha is rumored to be around the 3-4 million euro mark, a pay cut Rossi may be willing to take if it leaves him capable of winning and challenging for championships again. But here, too, conditions will be key: Rossi will return as the #2 rider, Lorenzo already having clinched a two-year deal with the factory, and Yamaha having made it clear to Rossi that they saw Lorenzo as the future back in 2010, which caused Rossi to pick-up sticks and go to Ducati.
Even worse, though, Rossi may have to return alone; his crew will not automatically be rehired by Yamaha, the cost of flying them around the world being a major cost factor in the equation. What’s more, Rossi will have to bring sponsorship to the table, much more than just the amount needed to cover his salary.”
And, it makes sense. Why would Yamaha roll out the red carpet and re-install Rossi, who hasn’t had a win in over 2 years, back as team #1 when it was his unwillingness to accept subservience to Lorenzo’s title aspirations in 2010 that caused him to sulk off to Ducati in the first place? Add to this the well-documented suggestions that Jeremy Burgess is probably going to retire at the end of 2012 and the picture for the greatest rider of our time is bleak indeed.
Another rumour that is gaining pace rapidly is that retiring Honda rider, Casey Stoner, has already secured himself a motorsports gig away from motorcycles for 2013. The announcement overnight that the Triple 8 Team is replacing the departing Vodafone sponsor with German energy drink Red Bull leaves a scenario that is hard to ignore. Given Casey’s already strong ties to the company, are we going to see CS27 in a V8 Supercar next year?
Oh, and here’s a great Q&A with Casey that was published last night.
One thing is certain. The short mid-summer break is going to be a break from racing, but the movements behind the scenes are going to continue as if there is no holiday at all.