If there’s one thing that’s guaranteed to spread excitement amongst the diecast community, it’s a one-off paint job for Valentino Rossi! This year’s Laguna Seca Moto GP was the scene of Yamaha’s latest imaginative livery and, like Estoril in 2009, Jorge Lorenzo’s bike was included as well. Since Fiat became Yamaha’s title sponsor most of the team’s one-off colour schemes have involved promoting the Italian car manufacturer in some way. The 2010 Laguna Seca race was no different. To celebrate Fiat’s launch of its 500 model in the USA, Yamaha asked fans to send in photos of themselves which would be used to fill 500 vacant slots on each bike. Unsurprisingly, this offer was heavily over-subscribed! Also on each fairing panel was the ‘500’ logo in a stars and stripes font. After battling hard with Dovizioso, Hayden and Spies, Valentino crossed the line in an heroic third place. This was his first podium since breaking his right leg just seven weeks earlier in Mugello! It has been confirmed that Minichamps will be releasing 1:12 replicas of both works Laguna Seca Yamahas, although as we went to press the UK importer had not yet ‘officially’ announced them. Given that the last three Rossi specials have been sell-outs before release, we have every reason to expect that his Laguna special will go the same way. The same is also true of the Lorenzo version (DCL2010L), especially as the young Majorcan will be signing it for us too (DCL2010LS).

Product code: DCL2010R

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