Yamaha signs Jorge Lorenzo for MotoGP

Jorge Lorenzo, the 250cc GP champion, has signed a two-year deal with Yamaha to make his MotoGP debut in 2008 aboard a Yamaha YZR-M1 with direct factory support.

“Yamaha has been watching Jorge’s career with interest for some time and we are delighted that he will be joining our MotoGP line-up from next season” – commented Lin Jarvis, Managing Director of Yamaha Motor Racing. “We are sure that he will be a valuable asset for the future and we look forward to the commencement of his MotoGP career with Yamaha.”

There is no official word on which part of the current Yamaha structure Lorenzo fits into, with rumours in the past that Rossi has said he does not want to have him in the same team. However, Yamaha has already as good as said he will not be given a special one-man team to himself, which makes it a near certainty he will join the official team.