Tech 3 kick off Yamaha talks

Cal Crutchlow’s Tech 3 Yamaha squad kicked off talks over a new deal in Estoril that will see the French team lease YZR-M1 bikes for 2012 and ’13.

Herve Poncharal met senior Yamaha management in Portugal and is hopeful he can extend his long-standing association with the Japanese factory, which stretches back to 1999.

Poncharal told MCN: “The good thing is that we want to stay with Yamaha and they have a strong desire to continue working with us. So now we have to work on the financial agreement, but I am very confident that we will be with Yamaha for 2012 and ’13.”

British rider Crutchlow is under contract to Tech 3 for 2012 but American Colin Edwards’ deal is up for renewal at the end of the season.