Jorge Lorenzo targets new Yamaha deal

MotoGP world championship leader Jorge Lorenzo has again insisted he intends to race with Yamaha in 2011.

The Spaniard has already been strongly linked with a big money move to Ducati’s factory team after reports emerged that Casey Stoner had penned a deal to join the Repsol Honda squad next season.

Ducati boss Filippo Preziosi confirmed he had approached Lorenzo’s management in an exclusive interview in this week’s MCN.

But the 23-year-old insisted today on the eve of the French GP in Le Mans that he wanted to ride a factory YZR-M1 again in 201, despite big interest too from Repsol Honda.

Lorenzo, who talked at length with Ducati last August before agreeing a new one-year extension with Yamaha, faced questions about his future in Le Mans where he is bidding for a second successive victory.

Lorenzo said: “My feeling with the team is the same as last year and really good. The ambience in the team is fantastic and the bike is really competitive.

“They are working to make it even more competitive and my first option is always Yamaha. But we have to see what is going to happen.

“Yamaha gave me the chance to be an official rider when I wasn’t even a world champion in 250s.”

Lorenzo goes into this weekend’s French GP clash at the iconic Le Mans circuit with a slender four-point lead over Fiat Yamaha team-mate Valentino Rossi.

Rossi and Lorenzo have won the opening two races in Qatar and Jerez.