The 2020 championship runner-up has been beneath strain to retain his manufacturing unit Yamaha seat past 2023, having endured a lacklustre marketing campaign in 2022 and a largely underwhelming season thus far this yr.
After a powerful weekend in Argentina, wherein he was fourth in qualifying, the dash race and the grand prix, Morbidelli’s Yamaha future was known as into query once more when the Japanese marque put World Superbike champion Toprak Razgatlioglu on the M1 at a personal take a look at at Jerez.
Razgatlioglu was reportedly just below two seconds shy of KTM’s Dani Pedrosa and beneath a second down on Yamaha tester Cal Crutchlow on the finish of the two-day take a look at.
In the course of the Americas Grand Prix weekend, Jarvis advised MotoGP’s world feed that Yamaha desires to proceed with Morbidelli and is working intently with Valentino Rossi to attempt to assist the three-time race winner enhance his kind.
Requested if any talks had taken place between Yamaha and Morbidelli, Jarvis mentioned: “I actually can’t let you know something.
“We’re at all times involved with all the managers within the paddock, figuring out what’s occurring, what the contracts and choices are.
“However our precedence is Franky and we’re involved with Valentino himself. Valentino, I spent numerous time speaking to him final week [prior to the Americas GP].
“He’s going to attempt to assist Franky, the [VR46] Academy goes to attempt to assist Franky to principally do what he did [in Argentina].
“That’s it, that’s all he has to do, to principally be quick. So, I feel he has the capability, and we are going to focus our minds on that.
“I feel for everyone we have to type of be clear earlier than the summer season break, as a result of if it is Franky, nice, we’ll reconfirm.
“If it’s not Franky, he must know as a result of he must look elsewhere, we have to line anyone up.
“So, there is no such thing as a deadline, however usually talking we might say earlier than the summer season break.”
Toprak Razgatlioglu, Pata Yamaha WorldSBK
Photograph by: Gold and Goose / Motorsport Images
Regardless of testing Razgatlioglu, who has expressed a want to race in MotoGP sooner or later, Jarvis suggests the Turk will not be prime of the listing to switch Morbidelli as Yamaha will nonetheless possible solely have two bikes on the grid subsequent yr.
“The most important drawback I might say for us anyway is whether or not we now have a spot, as a result of ideally… we’ve solely bought two bikes on the grid, I feel it’s troublesome for us to get a satellite tv for pc workforce on the grid subsequent yr,” he added.
“So, we may have two spots solely and each of these two spots we are going to want anyone who’s going to be quick immediately, and maybe Toprak will want extra time to rise up to hurry.
“So, it’s a troublesome name and ideally for us we would like Franky to run the remainder of the season with us and keep the pace that he confirmed in Argentina.
“So, I don’t know and I don’t assume Toprak is aware of.
“I might say we don’t know but, it’s nonetheless too early to say. If we had been to pick out Toprak, he would positively have to spend extra time on the bike.
“In any other case, we’re banking on Franky proper now and if it’s not Franky, we are going to see.”
When requested if Pramac Ducati’s Jorge Martin is an choice amid rumours the Spaniard might make a change, Jarvis mentioned: “He’s superb, however there are numerous superb riders on the market and it may very well be anyone from the MotoGP grid.
“You may also contemplate anyone from Moto2, that might be extra of an outdoor guess. There are totally different candidates, however I don’t wish to enter into names at this stage as it can solely gasoline speculations, and our precedence is Franky.”
