Movistar Yamaha MotoGP Managing Director Lin Jarvis has spoken about the future of his former World Championship winning rider, Jorge Lorenzo.
“It is difficult to understand what will happen in Lorenzo’s future, not least because he is not in an easy situation,” explained Jarvis. “He hasn’t left Ducati yet, at least officially, although many say the divorce is a certainty. If you had asked me this question four weeks ago I would have told you that he would have ended up at Suzuki, but now that seems an improbable hypothesis. I repeat, he is in a very difficult situation, because he has always been a factory rider, an official rider and considered fundamental by the team.”
Lin Jarvis
Jarvis continued, talking about the possibility of the five-time World Champion leaving the Grand Prix paddock altogether. “We’ll see if Jorge continues or not. We should wait but, in fact, he might quit. Also, because there is a possibility that next season there will be four or five places less in MotoGP.”
Lorenzo, MotoGP test, Buriram 2018
A rumour that has circled the paddock recently is the number 99 returning to the Japanese factory, but in the colours of an Independent Team. However, with no official Independent Team announced by Yamaha, or any confirmation that there will be one at all next year, Lorenzo’s future remains one of the biggest talking points in 2018.
Will we see the number 99 on a Yamaha machine in 2019? Jarvis said it “could happen.”
By MotoGP
Pic Twitter: Looking good @lorenzo99 #ItalianGP #PreEvent #Venice