Indy MotoGP: Colin Edwards eyes new Tech 3 deal

Colin Edwards is hoping to secure another season in the MotoGP world championship having made it clear in Indianapolis he wants to stay with the Monster Yamaha Tech 3 squad.

The Texan will make his 130th premier class start in Indianapolis this weekend and his future has been in doubt after a lacklustre campaign.

Edwards has been holding lengthy negotiations with Ducati in World Superbikes and flew to Bologna for talks prior to last month’s German Grand Prix at the Sachsenring.

But that future avenue has disappeared with Ducati today confirming it was quitting the World Superbike championship.

Edwards, who scored his best result of 2010 with seventh place at the last round in Brno, said he was seriously contemplating a WSB return for the first time since 2002 because he wanted to end his career fighting for wins.

But he wants to pen a new deal with Herve Poncharal’s Tech 3 Yamaha squad and partner British rider Cal Crutchlow.

MCN understands Crutchlow’s move to MotoGP with Tech 3 is now a formality with Poncharal set for more talks with the 24-year-old’s manager Bob Moore in Indianapolis.

Edwards, who has never won a MotoGP race, said: “I would love to stay with Herve. I’d love to stay with Yamaha. That’s my number one goal at the moment. We just need to try and make it happen. I think there are a couple chips that need to fall in the right place and I think it can happen.”

It has been rumoured recently that Yamaha US was willing to bankroll part of Edwards’ deal to keep him on a YZR-M1 machine next season.