Speaking to the Italian sports newspaper the Gazzetta dello Sport, Fiat Yamaha boss Lin Jarvis said he's hopeful that the team will have its lineup revealed before Round 10 of the 2010 MotoGP Championship that occurs Aug. 13-15 at Brno.
The current contracts for riders Valentino Rossi and Jorge Lorenzo expire at the end of 2010. Rumors are spreading that the nine-time world champion Rossi will move to Ducati for 2011. These were further enhanced when current Ducati Team rider Casey Stoner announced he has signed with Repsol Honda for 2011.
Rossi was allegedly offered a bit over $19 million from Ducati compared to about $11 to $13 million from Yamaha. If this move to the Italian team occurs, Rossi will most likely be teammates with Ducati Team rider Nicky Hayden; the American spent a year as Rossi's teammate with Honda in 2003, a year Rossi won the championship and the Kentucky Kid finished in fifth.
There is also much hearsay that Lorenzo, who currently leads the championship, is to stay with Fiat Yamaha.
Jarvis told the Italian newspaper that if either Rossi or Lorenzo leave (of both), current Monster Yamaha Tech 3 rider will be on the factory team. In MotoGP, first-year riders are restricted from competing on factory teams. But Spies will already have is experience with the satellite Monster Yamaha Tech 3 team, and thus can move to a factory team. Spies has a contract with Yamaha until the end of 2011.
Again, Yamaha is expected to release 2011 contract details before the next Round of MotoGP action at Brno. Stay tuned for details.
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