Jorge Lorenzo To Yamaha For 2008?

Well, we have already had our first silly season rumor for the 2008 season, and now the team negotiations seem to be gaining momentum. We had reported last year that Yamaha were interested in World 250 Champion Jorge Lorenzo, and now Autosport.com has further confirmation that Lorenzo is talking to Yamaha for next year. Fiat Yamaha manager Lin Jarvis is trying to downplay the contacts he and Lorenzo have had, but the quantity of smoke emanating from this story seems to suggest that there could well be a bit of a conflagration behind it.

This would leave Yamaha stalwart Colin Edwards without a ride in MotoGP next year. As rumors were very strong last year that the Texas Tornado would go back to World Superbikes, that looks like being his best option for 2008 so far. But there is still a long time to go before contracts are signed in earnest, so anyone keeping lists should only mark them up in pencil for the moment.

posted on Tuesday, April 17, 2007 10:29 PM

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# re: Jorge Lorenzo To Yamaha For 2008?
Dusty
Posted @ 4/18/2007 12:01 AM
Lorenzo will have his pick of rides, but I'm not sure he could share a garage with Rossi (or vice versa). Has there ever been a team with two superstars that wasn't dysfunctional?
# re: Jorge Lorenzo To Yamaha For 2008?
Kropotkin
Posted @ 4/18/2007 12:05 AM

Oh, it will be a regular fireworks display. Lorenzo is perhaps the rider least short of ego in the entire paddock, but Yamaha need to ready Rossi's replacement for when he retires at the end of '08, or possibly '09.

One thing's for sure: It'll be fun to watch.
# re: Jorge Lorenzo To Yamaha For 2008?
kby
Posted @ 4/18/2007 3:12 AM
It'll be a shame to see Colin go, I think he and rossi make a good team (it seems rossi gets along with him very well). That said though Lorenzo would be a very interesting addition. I wonder what rossi thinks of lorenzo? (I reckon pedrosa is not lorenzo's favorite person so at least he has some common ground with rossi on that..)
# re: Jorge Lorenzo To Yamaha For 2008?
fatman
Posted @ 4/18/2007 5:08 AM
Colin could do a lot worse than head back to WSBK. I'll bet the experience he has gained in MotoGP would serve him well.

Lorenzo as Rossi's team mate could be very comical. I'm sure if Rossi was absolutely dead set against it, it wouldn't happen tho.
# re: Jorge Lorenzo To Yamaha For 2008?
Kropotkin
Posted @ 4/18/2007 3:11 PM

It will be a shame to see Edwards go, as he's a great character and a really solid rider. But as I said, Yamaha needs to start training up Rossi's replacement, which means a young guy.

Of course, if Rossi is against Lorenzo, then Lorenzo's out. But Rossi understands that they need a replacement too. And it should be OK for one year, as it would be Lorenzo's first year in MotoGP, which would be about learning. So the opportunities for clashing would be limited, especially at the start of the season. If Rossi stayed for another year, then it would all go pear-shaped, though...
# re: Jorge Lorenzo To Yamaha For 2008?
six-footer
Posted @ 4/18/2007 4:33 PM
WSBK is becoming much more entertaining than MotoGP. The rules allow many more riders to be on competitive bikes. Whereas MotoGP has maybe 5 bikes total that are in contention for the win.

It's a shame that Colin might have to go to WSBK to have a competitive ride, but MotoGP is dysfunctional. Plus MotoGP seems to be heading towards a midget series, where horse jockeys are the riders. I can no longer relate.
# re: Jorge Lorenzo To Yamaha For 2008?
popmonkey
Posted @ 4/18/2007 4:44 PM
it could be an explosive team, but i agree, rossi will be on his way out soon. six-footer, you're kidding right? 2007 is probably the most evenly matched field in the history of gp racing. not that wsbk isn't superb this year. doninigton and valencia races (especially #2 in each) were incredible.
# re: Jorge Lorenzo To Yamaha For 2008?
Kropotkin
Posted @ 4/18/2007 5:09 PM

Six-footer: I think that the two races we have seen so far have not been representative. Qatar and Jerez are not tracks which produce great racing. Istanbul is, so this weekend's race should be well worth watching.

And the jockey thing is just a fad. If a tall rider comes through from WSBK and cleans up, then all the teams will be recruiting Superbike riders. The conventional wisdom is that the 800s need smaller riders, but Rossi does OK. Colin Edwards did OK at Jerez. These things change ...

Then, of course, there's the threatened withdrawal of Ducati, Suzuki, and possibly all of the Japanese factories from World Superbike. WSBK does seem to keep finding ways to shoot itself in the foot, every time it gets successful. We'll see ...
# re: Jorge Lorenzo To Yamaha For 2008?
101N
Posted @ 4/19/2007 4:10 PM
Krop:

"If a tall rider comes through from WSBK and cleans up, then all the teams will be recruiting Superbike riders. The conventional wisdom is that the 800s need smaller riders, but Rossi does OK. Colin Edwards did OK at Jerez. These things change ... "

IMO you need to rethink that statement. If motogp is to maintain, or even grow, it's prestige & brand then I think you'll see ever increasing pressure for serious riders to start young and conform to the blue-chip pathyway: 125>250>800. There is a lot invested in this system and it appears to produce, more consistently than any other path, skilled young riders by winnowing the wheat from the chaff along the arduous way. There is a whole ecosystem - $ - built around this and it will be very resistant to change.

To my eye the relationship emerging between motogp and WSB seems to be more 800>WSB than WSB>800. Compare the average age of the WSB field to that of the motogp field. It looks to me that skill set necessary for success at the motogp level peaks in the riders 20s.
# re: Jorge Lorenzo To Yamaha For 2008?
six-footer
Posted @ 4/19/2007 4:45 PM
MotoGP has too few competive rides, non-existent sponsorship, and Rossi has and still dominates. So MotoGP teams are cycling their riders looking for a Rossi-beater. This means a continuous influx of new blood from 250, and non-competitive alternatives like Kawasaki, Pramac, and Tech3 for vets like Edwards, Biaggi, Barros, and Biaggi, etc.. It's no wonder some have gone to WSBK.

MotoGP needs sponsorship deals for its teams, and a minimum weight requirement that *includes* the rider. It would be nice to see Pedrosa podium because of his skill, not because he has a 40lb weight advantage.
# re: Jorge Lorenzo To Yamaha For 2008?
Kropotkin
Posted @ 4/19/2007 5:46 PM

101N:

"IMO you need to rethink that statement. If motogp is to maintain, or even grow, it's prestige & brand then I think you'll see ever increasing pressure for serious riders to start young and conform to the blue-chip pathyway: 125>250>800. There is a lot invested in this system and it appears to produce, more consistently than any other path, skilled young riders by winnowing the wheat from the chaff along the arduous way. There is a whole ecosystem - $ - built around this and it will be very resistant to change."

You're absolutely right that that's the way the system works right now. And that a lot of money and effort is invested in this system. But ultimately, the teams want to win, and they'll do whatever it takes. If Vermeulen takes the title next year, with Toseland taking 2nd in his debut year in MotoGP, the WSBK paddock will be full of MotoGP team managers faster than you can say Troy Bayliss. The 125>250 route will always remain open, as the riders are in the same paddock, so they're easier to talk to, but fewer could come through.

It's an interesting point about the average age of riders in the WSBK paddock. It does seem riders take longer to filter through National Supersport/Superbike > European Superstock > World Supersport > World Superbike, but that could also be because the age limits for the national championships are higher. The Spanish 125 championships (currently the ultimate MotoGP feeder class) has a minimum age of 13, I believe. Dutch Superbikes has an age limit of 16. That's a big difference right there.
# re: Jorge Lorenzo To Yamaha For 2008?
NearlyManx
Posted @ 6/10/2007 1:11 PM
Team Yamaha need a strong 2nd rider, Vale has carried the team and I think the addition of Lorenzo would be brilliant
# re: Jorge Lorenzo To Yamaha For 2008?
johnalex
Posted @ 6/14/2007 7:03 PM
Just look at who is competitive in MotoGP . . . those who worked up through the ranks of 125 and 250's. Yamaha are just doing a proper job of getting ready for the post-Rossi era.
# re: Jorge Lorenzo To Yamaha For 2008?
online games
Posted @ 4/9/2009 9:38 AM
MotoGP has too few competive rides, non-existent sponsorship, and Rossi has and still dominates. So MotoGP teams are cycling their riders looking for a Rossi-beater. This means a continuous influx of new blood from 250, and non-competitive alternatives like Kawasaki, Pramac, and Tech3 for vets like Edwards, Biaggi, Barros, and Biaggi, etc.

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