When Maverick Viñales signed for Aprilia just after the Assen round of MotoGP this year, he and Yamaha promised us they would continue with their partnership until the end of the season. They?ve now changed their minds. Maverick Viñales and Yamaha have terminated their relationship, with immediate effect.

The contract was already due to finish a year early, but now, it?s been torn up six months earlier still. And with Maverick?s latest antics (we?re still not entirely sure what they were, but they were naughty enough to get him suspended from riding the bike at the Austrian GP), it?s probably in the interest of both parties.

Particularly for Maverick Viñales. Because now he?s been released from his Yamaha contract, he can get on an Aprilia. And I expect that?ll happen fairly soon, since Lorenzo Savadori is still nursing a broken ankle after the fireball crash that got the Styrian GP red flagged. Will we see Mav? on an Aprilia in 2021" I reckon there?s a good chance.
But don?t forget that binning Viñales off early also leaves Yamaha open to find a replacement rider. Will they put Cal Crutchlow on the Factory M1" He was down to ride the Petronas Yamaha at the next round at Silverstone; but perhaps the factory team will pull rank and put Crutchlow on their bike for the rest of the season. Because it has to be said, the Englishman did struggle on the satellite machine in Austria.

Lin Jarvis, Yamaha Motor Racing Managing Director, made this stat...