“It would be logical for me to stay with Yamaha,” said championship leader Jorge Lorenzo, who now holds a huge 72-point advantage in the MotoGP class, “I have an offer from Yamaha but we are not yet agreed and now I will listen to the offers from the other brands.”
Lorenzo was speaking on Spanish TVE’s post-race show on Sunday evening at Laguna Seca, still wearing his leathers more that an hour-and-a-half after his sixth win to go with three runner-ups over the first nine races. Clearly Jorge wanted to get that message out there. The shower could wait.
Valentino Rossi also has an offer from Yamaha, but, according to every Italian insider in the paddock, he has already agreed to a two-year deal with Marlboro Ducati at 14 million euros ($18 million) a season.
Lorenzo is currently on a four million euro ($5.2 million) deal and wants a lot more -- about double that is the asking price, and, as the points leader and probable champion, he holds a strong bargaining position… a position that is weakened, however, by a lack of viable alternatives. More on that later.
Dani Pedrosa, who, after a strong win in Germany, crashed out at Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca under pressure from Lorenzo, looks certain to renew with Repsol Honda, there to be joined by Australian Casey Stoner, who leaves Ducati.
American Nicky Hayden is a free agent for 2011 but will soon be signed by Ducati once Rossi is squared away. Ben Spies is in the first of a two-year deal with Yamaha and the reigning World Superbike champion is expected to move into the factory Yamaha team alongside Lorenzo to fill the spot vacated by Rossi.
Pedrosa told Spanish TV that he would probably announce his future plans after the race at Mazda Raceway but was not in a mood to do so after his crash.
Could anything really surprising happen between now at the Grand Prix of the Czech Republic? In Brno Rossi’s situation will become clear because Yamaha are bringing bikes with components intended for 2011, and Rossi, unless he is signed as a Yamaha rider by then, will most certainly not be allowed to test them.
