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MotoGP Silly Season Sorted Out As Lorenzo Inks Two-Year Extension With Yamaha

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As teams prepare for the Indianapolis round this weekend, the rider/team relationships for next year are being finalized. Earlier this week, Cal Crutchlow announced he was leaving the factory Ducati team for LCR Honda. This has made room for the move by Andrea Iannone up to the full factory Ducati squad as teammate to Andrea Dovizioso next year.

Crutchlow slots into Stefan Bradl’s seat at LCR, while Bradl will move over to Forward Yamaha next year.

Completing the puzzle, Yamaha today announced it has signed a two-year extension agreement with former champ Jorge Lorenzo.  Here is the press release from Yamaha:

Yamaha Motor Co., Ltd and Movistar Yamaha MotoGP rider Jorge Lorenzo are delighted to announce that they have signed a new two-year agreement that sees the Mallorcan complete the Movistar Yamaha line up for the next two seasons. The agreement realises Lorenzo’s wish to continue his premier class career with Yamaha, extending the relationship from seven to nine years. Both Yamaha and Lorenzo are confident that the partnership has the potential to deliver a third title and will continue to work towards this goal.

Lin Jarvis – Managing Director, Yamaha Motor Racing

I am very happy we have reached an agreement for Jorge to continue as a Movistar Yamaha MotoGP rider. The new agreement extends Jorge’s seven-year partnership with Yamaha. He started with us as a rookie back in 2008 and together we achieved many great results including 31 GP victories and two MotoGP Rider World Champion titles in 2010 and 2012. The 2014 season has been a tough one for Jorge so far but I am hoping that the confirmation of this new agreement will give him the peace of mind to be able to focus 100% of his energy on the remaining races. Last year we saw what he was able to do when the going was tough and he was fighting back from mid-season injuries so we know that the potential is there for a strong second half to the 2014 season. For 2015 and beyond we have no doubt that Jorge will be a strong title contender and we will do our very best to provide him with the materials and the support he needs to be able to realize our shared ambitions.”

Jorge Lorenzo

“I am very happy to finally be able to make this announcement. It is a relief to be able to now completely focus on the remainder of the 2014 season in the knowledge that our relationship will continue for the next two seasons. It has always been my wish to continue my career with Yamaha; I strongly believe we can fight for a third title together. This season has been very challenging after a difficult start, however we will continue to take it race by race, giving 100% until Valencia. I want to thank Yamaha for their continued belief in me and all the Yamaha fans around the world who continue to support me. After the summer break I’m excited to be back at Indy with my team and focused again on riding.”

22 Comments

  1. Tim says:

    I just hope Yamaha gives him a more competitive bike next year. He’s still the best hope to give Marquez some competition, but only if the bike gets faster.

    • MGNorge says:

      It’s a moving target (ugh!) and nothing stays static for long while remaining competitive. I’d like to see Suzuki finally jump in too. Kawasaki? I’ve always wondered about that, considering Kawasaki’s slant on performance on the street, they have stayed away from the unlimited MotoGP arena. Hmm?

      • Tim says:

        Very true. But with the exception of Stoner’s first championship year, when the Ducati was clearly the fastest bike, it has appeared to me as though Honda has consistently had the horsepower advantage (at least over the past 10 or so years). There were a couple of years where the Yamaha appeared competitive on the straights (with the Honda), but not most years.

        Your comments on Kawasaki are right on. It’s interesting that the Japanese firm with the least hyper sport bikes (Honda) is the one with the most hyper GP bikes.

        • mickey says:

          Speed guns show the bikes very close in top speed, within a mph or two for factory bikes. How it gets put to the ground is another matter. Smoother lines and being quicker on the gas coming out of a corner gives a perceived hp advantage at the end of the following straightaway.

          • mickey says:

            Btw fastest ever MotoGP bike was Iannone in 2014 on his Ducati at something like 217 mph

          • mickey says:

            He broke the record set by Pedrosa on an 800 cc Honda

          • Norm G. says:

            Re:

          • Norm G. says:

            (Lets try this again, reception in and around the Pagoda’s a little spotty)

            Re: “He broke the record set by Pedrosa on an 800 cc Honda”

            Which itself was also 217. He bested only by fractions. You would think they’d require at least whole number increment or something before declaring a record…?

          • mickey says:

            That’s why I said the factory bikes were close in top speed within a mph or 2. Stoners Ducati appeared to be faster and maybe one year it was faster, but generally, the bikes are very evenly matched in speed. and why aren’t you over in Indy? See you Sunday?

          • mickey says:

            crap..reading comprehension 101..the Pagoda..you ARE at Indy lol

          • Norm G. says:

            right at start/finish, kicking it old school. 🙂 Thankfully the rain has held off. M2 is getting in their last practice as I hunt/peck.

        • MGNorge says:

          I may be off on my theory concerning Kawasaki but I’ve often thought that with their image as a performance king on the street (awful place to show it) and that image being a strong one maybe they do not want to chance having their backside handed to them and tarnishing that image? Could be but I don’t know if that’s the case. They do well in production racing, and no doubt aided by their power to start with, but stay out of the more “Let it all hang out” MotoGP class. Honda has historically been involved in GP racing so I believe the class is near and dear to them and their engineers. They also have the resources and the engineering might to see their visions through, regardless of the models they produce for street use.

          • Norm G. says:

            Re: “I may be off on my theory concerning Kawasaki but I’ve often thought that with their image as a performance king on the street (awful place to show it) and that image being a strong one maybe they do not want to chance having their backside handed to them and tarnishing that image? Could be but I don’t know if that’s the case.”

            They were in it up to ’07/’08. After they can cancelled christmas, Kawi’s since told ez-dorn what they can do with their series.

          • Dave says:

            Re:”Kawi’s since told ez-dorn what they can do with their series.”

            And taken their game to WSBK, which has since also become an ez-dorn series?

          • Norm G. says:

            Re: “And taken their game to WSBK, which has since also become an ez-dorn series?”

            Now that their internal goal of 20th and 30th anniversary championships are about to be wrapped up, I would love to be a fly on the wall in carmelo’s office when the call comes in from k-heavy tellin’ him and his WSBK EVO to pound sand. It’s more satisfaction than Honda will ever get that’s for sure.

          • mickey says:

            I hear Kaw had a small display there yesterday but I didn’t see it. Honda, Suzuki, Yamaha and Harley all had huge displays although the live wire and the 750 water cooled weren’t on display. They did have a 500 water cooled there. whoever wrapped the main wire harness needs some lessons. Looked like a 3rd world country 4th grader did it. Rest of the bike looked ok though.

  2. speedy says:

    Man, some of you people have short memories. Mistakes & accidents happen to the best of riders. Not many riders harder & tougher than Lorenzo, just look at last season. He’ll be back.

  3. Skuffy says:

    Excuses excuses – its easy to blame what is around you for your failure rather accepting the error of your ways and making a change, become better, train harder, etc

  4. Madone1 says:

    Man Relish, you nailed it. 4 fast guys at the front, and then everyone else. The good race battles seem few and far between. At least he stayed with Yamaha so he can be somewhat competitive. Anywhere else would have been like heading to the elephant graveyard.

  5. mickey says:

    Header should read LORENZO CAVES BIG TIME. First this season has sucked for JL. Second he wanted a one year contract so he could maybe go to another team in 2016 if he no longer felt competitive on the Yamaha, and third all the Honda seats were filled before he got a chance to throw his hat in the Honda ring. What else was he going to do? He either had to cave in or walk. (maybe not that drastic but you get my drift)

    I always love the “I’m really happy, now I can concentrate on performing” line. Our Bengals QB just got a huge new contract extension and that’s what he said too. Like the 4 million they were paying him a year before wasn’t enough to make him concentrate on his job and performing.

    • MGNorge says:

      Just like major execs at top firms, they evidently are incapable of performing unless contracted for millions each year. Then they and their stock holders crow about the need to cut costs, etc., etc. …

      …OK, maybe not just like it, I got carried away! 🙂

  6. Man Relish says:

    Interesting, so next year will be same bat time, same bat channel….

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