Then & Now

ROSSI IS ‘RETIRED’

Valentino Rossi has been dropped from the 2021 Yamaha Factory Motogp team. He will be replaced at the end of this season by fast youth Fabio Quartararo

VINALES GETS TWO MORE

Maverick Vinales has signed a new two-year contract with Yamaha. It means he will be in the Factoryyamaha Motogp team until the end of 2022.

HARRISON EXTENDS CONTRACT

Isle of MANTT Senior winner Dean Harrison has agreed terms to stay with Silicon Engineering Racing on the Kawasakis until the end of 2021. Harrison will stay on the roads and contest BSB this year, too.

MORE AT THE NW200

There’s another superbike added to the roads event at the North West 200 this year. A four-lapper will now also take place on thethursday.

HAMILTON’S CRASH

When Rossi and F1 World Champion Lewis Hamilton did a vehicle swap in December, neither thought they would crash. But xixtime champ Hamilton ended up in the gravel. Unhurt, he managed some decent lap times on the M1yamaha.

MAX BIAGGI LEGEND

The six-times world champion Biaggi has been included in the Motogp Legends. He said: “I’m honoured. My name will be up there with racers like Agostini, Aspar, Nieto and Sheene.”