Lorenzo happy for Rossi to be back at Yamaha

If Jorge Lorenzo is resentful at Valentino Rossi’s imminent return to Yamaha then the Spaniard is doing an incredible job of hiding it.

Lorenzo has publicly welcomed back Rossi with open arms after the Italian signed a two-year deal to be back on a factory YZR-M1 during the recent summer break.

Rossi will end his Ducati nightmare at the end of 2012 to renew his rivalry with Lorenzo, who himself signed a new two-year deal with Yamaha earlier this season.

When the pair were Yamaha team-mates between 2008 and 2010 they engaged in a fierce rivalry that got so intense a ban on data sharing was introduced and the pair were split by a dividing wall.

But speaking at the iconic Indianapolis Motor Speedway in America today, Lorenzo said: “I think it’s interesting to see how we can handle again Valentino and me on the same team and the same bike. I’m very interested to see what is going on. And for me, it’s a big pleasure to be team-mate with him again.

“I don’t have any problem with anybody. I like to have a good relationship with everybody in the paddock. I have a lot of respect for Valentino. So maybe if he asked me for some favor, I will give him.”

Lorenzo, who currently leads the 2012 MotoGP world championship by 23-points over compatriot Dani Pedrosa, said he was informed by Yamaha prior to renewing his own contract that the Japanese factory was considering Rossi as an alternative option to struggling Texan Ben Spies.

But he was at pains again to make it clear that he had no qualms with Rossi returning.

He added: “I never cared about my team-mate and I will not care in the future. For me it is a pleasure to be again with Valentino, two more years with the same bike. So for me everything is positive.”