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Valentino Rossi and Dani Pedrosa with Suzuki in 2017

It looks like 2017 will bring even more changes to MotoGP than the comeback of KTM. The Spanish online edition of Motociclismo "informs" us that two of the top four riders, Rossi and Pedrosa, will jump boat.
Rossi with Suzuki in 2017 1 photo
Photo: motogp.com
Both riders are said to have discussed the matter with their respective teams, Movistar Yamaha for Rossi and Repsol Honda for Pedrosa. According to the mentioned source, the two riders agreed mutually to try their hand with Suzuki, which means they will become teammates in 2017.

Repsol Honda was okay with Dani Pedrosa's choice and intends to bring one of Suzuki's current riders as a teammate for Marc Marquez. Apparently, Repsol Honda is looking forward to fielding only young riders from now on, so they chose Maverick Vinales as a replacement for Dani Pedrosa.

Is Rossi trying to win his tenth world title astride a Suzuki bike?

It's not hard to understand that Rossi is no longer feeling too happy being forced to meet Lorenzo in official Yamaha events, such as model launches, press photos, and the likes of these. Likewise, it's hard to predict how competitive the Doctor will be at the helm of the Yamaha bike in 2016, or whether he will win the tenth title of his career next year.

Still, it looks like the day of his retirement is still far, and he is willing to explore road racing with other manufacturers, too. Suzuki still has a full season to improve their machines and have them ready for the two top riders. This move might be one of the milestones in Suzuki's history, and the big step they needed to become a top-player in Grand Prix.

None of the interested parts could be contacted, most likely because it's December 28, the Dia de Los Santos Inocentes, the winter equivalent of April Fool's Day.
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