Photo: Yamaha-racing.com
Even though an official statement from either Jorge Lorenzo or Ducati was not offered, the fact that the Mallorcan rider is very close to a team switch is no longer a secret. Or, if you wish, is the secret of Polichinelle, the kind of secret that everybody knows.
The latest person to speak about this is the very Yamaha MotoGP team principal, Lin Jarvis. He says that, with each passing day, the odds of Lorenzo remaining with Yamaha grow thinner.
Giacomo Agostini was one of the first to say that he knew about a very generous offer Audi and Ducati prepared for Jorge Lorenzo, and more recently, the team principal of Ecstar Suzuki, Davide Brivio, also declared that he strongly believed that the deal with Ducati was already agreed upon and the contract signed.
Even though Valentino Rossi was the first of the two riders to sign a contract with Yamaha, House Iwata also made Lorenzo a contract offer. Also, rumors have it that Yamaha was willing to pay him a 10 million euro annual salary.
Lorenzo admitted that he had the contract on his desk, but was still undecided, thus fueling the speculations that saw him stalling the entire thing while waiting to see how the Ducati Desmosedici GP performs.
Still, such behavior did not pass unnoticed at Yamaha, and Lin Jarvis is not shy to speak openly about this. "Every day that goes by since we presented to Jorge the new contract reduces our ability to continue working with him in the future. With each passing day, there is an increasing likelihood that he moves to the other team. Even more, at this point I'd be surprised if he decided to stay with us again," the Yamaha official adds.
Jarvis says that Yamaha also has a Plan B and even a Plan C, and recent rumors include Andrea Iannone on the list of Rossi-approved riders. Statements clarifying this matter are expected this week, according to the paddock whispers.
Giacomo Agostini was one of the first to say that he knew about a very generous offer Audi and Ducati prepared for Jorge Lorenzo, and more recently, the team principal of Ecstar Suzuki, Davide Brivio, also declared that he strongly believed that the deal with Ducati was already agreed upon and the contract signed.
Even though Valentino Rossi was the first of the two riders to sign a contract with Yamaha, House Iwata also made Lorenzo a contract offer. Also, rumors have it that Yamaha was willing to pay him a 10 million euro annual salary.
Lorenzo admitted that he had the contract on his desk, but was still undecided, thus fueling the speculations that saw him stalling the entire thing while waiting to see how the Ducati Desmosedici GP performs.
Still, such behavior did not pass unnoticed at Yamaha, and Lin Jarvis is not shy to speak openly about this. "Every day that goes by since we presented to Jorge the new contract reduces our ability to continue working with him in the future. With each passing day, there is an increasing likelihood that he moves to the other team. Even more, at this point I'd be surprised if he decided to stay with us again," the Yamaha official adds.
Rossi can have a say as far as who becomes his teammate
According to insella, one of the clauses in the contract Rossi has with Yamaha allows him to have a say about who would become his teammate. Apparently, the man whom Yamaha seems to be eyeing as a replacement for Lorenzo, Maverick Vinales, has Rossi's "blessing."Jarvis says that Yamaha also has a Plan B and even a Plan C, and recent rumors include Andrea Iannone on the list of Rossi-approved riders. Statements clarifying this matter are expected this week, according to the paddock whispers.
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