More updated info on this, again from
www.speedtv.com :
Sources Identified for Rossi to Yamaha Exclusive
Written by: Dennis Noyes
Borrego Springs, CA – 10/8/2003
The story posted earlier today stating that Valentino Rossi has decided to leave Honda and will join the Gauloises Yamaha team in 2004 is based upon information from Mela Chércoles of 'El As', a large Madrid sports daily.
I was told not to reveal the source until a deadline that has now passed. Since then the story has been posted on several Spanish and Italian sites and will be the headline story in tomorrow's papers.
Italy's Gazzeta dello Sport has also run the story as has the Barcelona, Spain, daily 'El Mundo Deportivo'. The 'Mundo' story adds additional information, saying that Alex Barros will be replaced in the Gauloises team by Rossi and that the Brazilian will go to the Gresini team to for Honda Telefónica-Movistar alongside Sete Gibernau. Barros rode fro Gresini in the mid-nineties on both twin and four-cylinder Hondas.
'Mundo' states that "a high-ranking Repsol executive" told their reporter that America's Colin Edwards has been suggested to replace Rossi on the Honda Repsol team, but that the Spanish sponsor is unhappy with the idea of two American riders and is insisting on a Spanish rider instead.
'Gazzeta' contacted HRC's European director Carlo Fiorani who "refused comment on the Yamaha story, but did not seem surprised." Fiorani told 'Gazzeta', "we have placed our best possible offer in the hands of Rossi's manager on Sunday." According to Gazzeta, "the HRC offer was an ultimatum and the deadline has passed."
In past situations of this sort Honda riders have been restrained by the conditions of their contracts from announcing a change to another brand until after the season has ended or even (as in the case of Eddie Lawson at the end of the 1989 season when the American, after winning the 500 title with Honda, announced a return to Yamaha where he had already won three titles) the end of the season.
I don't like to run stories based upon unidentified sources, but Chércoles is very reliable and obtained his information both in the paddock at Motegi last Sunday and from Altidas (the company that owns the Fortuna and Gauloises brands) and Repsol sources.
More news whenever available.