Monday's Milan launch finally confirmed
manufacturer Fiat as the title sponsor of the factory
Yamaha team, and thus Valentino Rossi, for the 2007 and 2008 MotoGP seasons.
Although on paper one of the most lucrative sponsorship opportunities in MotoGP, it has taken until just five days before the season-opening
Qatar Grand Prix for Yamaha and Fiat to be in a position to formally announce the deal - and reveal the team's new blue and white racing colours.
The rumoured reason behind the delay was the issue of Fiat using Rossi's image for promotional purposes - something the company is naturally be very keen to do in order to help sell cars, but which apparently requires a separate agreement to that of team title sponsor.
However, such contractually problems have (presumably) now been overcome and Rossi will thus ride with non-tobacco branding for the first time since leaving Repsol Honda at the end of 2003 - and is likely to develop his Fiat involvement through rallying and perhaps even further Ferrari tests, should both parties express an interest.
Le sponsor Fiat a été confirmé pour les saisons 2007-2008.
La principale rumeur concernant le délai est le problème de Fiat d'utiliser l'image de Rossi pour des raisons promotionnelles, mais qui nécessitait un accord séparé de celui du Team.
On peut présumer que ses problèmes contractuels ont été résolu. Rossi roulera donc avec un sponsor non cigarettier pour la première fois depuis son départ de Repsol Honda fin 2003 et augmentera probablement son implication avec Fiat à travers le Rallye et peut être de nouveaux essais Ferrari, si les 2 parties en expriment l'intéret.
crash.net