Confirmed: Yamaha inks Camel deal.

As exclusively revealed by Crash.net last week, tobacco giant JT International is to switch its Camel brand from Honda to Yamaha for the 2006 MotoGP season, with the factory team getting a new yellow livery courtesy of title sponsorship.

The outfit, which will retain reigning five-times world champion Valentino Rossi and American team-mate Colin Edwards, will now be known as the 'Camel Yamaha Team'.

The move comes shortly after Camel withdrew its backing of Sito Pons' eponymous squad, ostensibly because of the way Honda had treated Max Biaggi - with whom it retains a personal connection - and in spite of Rossi's reported dislike of tobacco advertising, an alleged clash with the #46's Marlboro Ferrari F1 links and a clause in out-going sponsor Gauloises' deal that apparently precluded another tobacco brand being signed to sponsor the factory Yamaha team.

Thus, the one-year deal marks one of the most surprising sponsorship agreements in recent years - right up until today many were still doubting our earlier report - and only adds to the mystery regarding Yamaha's acrimonious split with Gauloises.

In other words, why were Yamaha and/or Rossi so unwilling to continue working with Gauloises - with whom a 2006 contract was seemingly in place - that Yamaha have risked legal action by ending the agreement early... only to then sign with a rival cigarette brand?

Regardless of such intrigue, Camel is naturally delighted at capturing one of the most lucrative sponsorship deals in motorsport - since its branding will now be carried by Rossi, by far the most popular motorcycle rider in the world, in what could be the Italian's last season of two-wheeled competition.

"A new chapter in the history of Camel in motorsport is just beginning," commented JTI's European regional president Roberto Zanni, "After three years of great satisfaction in the premier class of the World Road Racing Championship, we are today launching a new challenge for the title.

"Our new partnership with Yamaha - the historic, championship-winning Japanese manufacturer - will be highly motivating for us, and it will be an honour to be by their side throughout the 2006 season. We share the same passion and desire for victory and, I am sure, success will not be long in coming."

The new-look Camel Yamaha Team will begin its 2006 campaign at Sepang with a three-day test over 23-25 January.

"Yamaha is very excited to enter into this new partnership," Yamaha Motor Racing MD Lin Jarvis admitted, "JTI has been involved in motorsport at the highest level for many years and has been an active sponsor at the top level in the MotoGP class for the past three seasons.

"We look forward to working with them to enhance the respective images of our brands, and to challenge together for victory as Yamaha enters its 'next 50 years' and aims to retain its MotoGP titles in 2006."

What effect the announcement will have on Biaggi's future remains to be seen, with Camel having been tipped to possibly accompany the Italian to the World Superbike Championship this season. Camel's sister brand, Winston, currently sponsors the Ten Kate Honda WSBK team.