Jorge Lorenzo starts Yamaha contract talks

Double MotoGP world champion Jorge Lorenzo has confirmed in Texas today (Thursday) that he has started talks with Yamaha over a new contract.

The Spaniard has spent his entire six-year MotoGP career with Yamaha and intends to ink a new two-year deal, with talks already underway with senior management.

HRC boss Shuhei Nakamoto said during the pre-season that he intended to make a fresh bid to lure Lorenzo off a factory YZR-M1. There was also speculation earlier this year that Ducati had tabled a big money offer for Lorenzo in 2015.

The former double 250GP world champion though admitted at the Circuit of the Americas that he was currently only negotiating with Yamaha and he said: “We have just started. For the moment we have started negotiating with Yamaha. But obviously the top riders normally receive offers from the other factories, so it should be the same this year. My priority is to stay with Yamaha. You have to evaluate a lot of things to make a decision but for me it is very important that the bike is working good. But also the loyalty that Yamaha has always transmitted to me is very important. We are here firstly to win. “