As Autosport has discovered, the Spaniard met with Lin Jarvis, director of Yamaha, on the Saturday of the final race weekend of final season in Valencia.
In that assembly, Jarvis confirmed the Spaniard his curiosity in incorporating him into its construction within the close to future.
At first, it even appeared the Japanese producer was considering of Lopez as a doable alternative for Franco Morbidelli on the manufacturing facility squad, who accomplished his worst 12 months in MotoGP in 2022 with simply 42 factors scored final season.
Regardless of the Valentino Rossi protege’s poor efficiency, the corporate’s high administration determined to respect the contract signed with him, which expires on the finish of 2023, and provides him another 12 months to react.
In any case, the competitors on the present MotoGP grid discourages the promotion of a Moto2 rider on to an official crew.
That reinforces Yamaha’s intention to make room for Lopez as soon as it has been in a position to shut the deal that might enable it to regain the satellite team it has lost for 2023, following the departure of RNF to Aprilia.
Essentially the most logical possibility on this regard is an settlement between Yamaha and VR46, though Valentino Rossi’s crew is contracted to Ducati by way of to the top of 2024.
Lopez was one of many standout performers of the 2022 Moto2 season. Having raced in solely 4 grands prix in 2021 and remaining with no bike for 2022, Lopez was supplied a Pace Up experience by Luca Boscoscuro when it parted methods with Romano Fenati halfway by way of the marketing campaign.
Alonso Lopez, +Ego Pace Up
Picture by: Gold and Goose / Motorsport Images
Lopez would go on to attain a maiden podium at Silverstone earlier than taking the primary of two victories in 2022 at Misano, the second coming in Australia.
Regardless of solely collaborating in 14 races, Lopez completed eighth within the general factors desk, solely 9.5 factors behind Celestino Vietti in seventh.
His breakthrough aroused the curiosity of Jarvis, who wasted no time: “Everyone knows how this world works.
“My job can be to pay attention to the options supplied by the market. And that applies to riders, engineers and so forth. Within the case of racers, I believe I could make an excellent X-ray of the choices accessible,” Jarvis instructed Autosport.
Yamaha has loved a lot success with younger signings in MotoGP, with the Japanese model snaring Jorge Lorenzo to a deal two years earlier than he would make his debut with the manufacturing facility squad in 2008 and go on to win three world titles with the model.
Extra lately, it loved podium success with Fabio Quartararo in 2019 at Petronas SRT earlier than he was in the end promoted to the manufacturing facility squad in 2021, when he received the championship.
