69: Explaining The Sponsorship Mess Surrounding Valentino Rossi's VR46

The Tank Slappers with Lewis and Uri

Valentino Rossi’s VR46 team is due to graduate to MotoGP in 2022 but there is continued confusion around a reported sponsorship deal with Aramco. It could see Rossi riding for the team next year in order to secure the lucrative funding required to support a race team, rather than the line up of Luca Marini alongside Marco Bezzecchi.

During the Dutch Grand Prix, Aramco CEO Amin Hassan Nasser was one of Pramac's guests at the Assen race. Throughout the weekend, the senior executive held several meetings in which he made it clear that the company he heads has neither signed with VR46 nor intends to do so.

From Rossi's perspective he has said: "I talk to the prince often and everything is fine". The uncertainty around the project has spiced up the 'silly season'. Lewis Duncan and Oriol Puigdemont take you through the various statements made to Autosport over recent weeks and piece together the possible outcomes