"Done deal! A well known Italian will definitely be on a blue bike next year, woo hoo!"
La Gazetto dello Sport has also reported this morning that Valentino Rossi, currently on holiday in Ibiza, has signed for Yamaha. They report that Rossi will race for Yamaha, alongside Jorge Lorenzo, in MotoGP for 2013 and 2014 and will then move to World Superbike for 2015. he will then stay on at Yamaha as rider coach and technical representative.
Gazetto gives no information on the rest of top seats but this means that, following the re-signing of Hayden, Ducati now have a top seat available. And Cal Crutchlow could be the man to fill it.
Can Cal tame the Ducati beast? Can Valentino return to winning ways on the Yamaha? Will Jorge wipe the floor with him? Who knows but it's going to be pretty exciting finding out.
MotoGP has been in the doldrums for some time now (which we explore here). Could this move be the spark that reignites it?
UPDATE - It appears Valentino Rossi spoke to Niall McKenzie this morning at Yamaha HQ in Amsterdam. Niall's tweet was absolutely true and not the usual conjecture - Rossi told Niall he had signed the contract. Therefore it is now confirmed. Rossi will race for Yamaha in MotoGP
FURTHER UPDATE - It appears Niall's twitter account was hacked. Full story here
