Cal Crutchlow: Every factory interested in Lorenzo

Yamaha, Honda, Ducati and Suzuki will be all be chasing double MotoGP world champion Jorge Lorenzo’s prized signature for the 2015 world championship.

That’s the view of British rider Cal Crutchlow, who is preparing for his first factory Ducati appearance of 2014 when pre-season testing resumes at the Sepang track in Malaysia next week.

Speculation about Lorenzo’s future has already intensified without a wheel being turned in anger in 2014 after the Spaniard denied reports he was locked in advanced talks about a shock move to Ducati for next year.

The 2010 and 2012 premier class world champion is also expected to be the subject of renewed interest from Honda, who tried to tempt him to quit Yamaha during the early part of the ’12 campaign.

And Yamaha has made no secret that its top priority in the rider market will be to convince Lorenzo to remain on a factory YZR-M1.

Lorenzo has spent his entire MotoGP career with Yamaha and since his debut in 2008 he has established himself as the clear number one rider, despite the return of Valentino Rossi last season.

He won eight races in 2013 and only lost the title race to compatriot and Repsol Honda rival Marc Marquez by four-points.

Speaking to MCN about the potential for Lorenzo to be joining him on a factory Desmosedici in 2015, Crutchlow said: “I don’t really care what Lorenzo is doing as such because it has nothing to do with me. I am racing for Ducati in 2014 and 2015 and that is all I am concentrating on. If Lorenzo comes then he is going to bring a wealth of speed and information to Ducati and he will be up front and fast on whatever he rides. Of course they are going to talk to him but so is everyone else like Honda and Suzuki. He is going to be a free agent, so it is inevitable people will speak to him because of the talent he is. But I am sure Jorge is more concentrated on trying to win the world title back for himself and for Yamaha than he is about thinking about where he is going in 2015.”

For more from Crutchlow, including his exclusive thoughts on Ducati’s link to running as an Open entry in 2014, see the January 29 issue of MCN.