The 2020 championship runner-up has been below stress to retain his manufacturing facility Yamaha seat past 2023, having endured a lacklustre marketing campaign in 2022 and a largely underwhelming season to this point this yr.
After a robust 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 non-public check at Jerez.
FEATURE: 10 things we learned from the MotoGP Americas Grand Prix
Razgatlioglu was reportedly slightly below two seconds shy of KTM’s Dani Pedrosa and below a second down on Yamaha tester Cal Crutchlow on the finish of the two-day check.
Throughout the Americas Grand Prix weekend, Jarvis instructed MotoGP’s world feed that Yamaha needs to proceed with Morbidelli and is working intently with Valentino Rossi to attempt to assist the three-time race winner enhance his type.
“I actually can’t inform you something,” Jarvis stated when requested if any talks had taken place between Yamaha and Morbidelli.
“We’re all the time in touch with the entire managers within the paddock, understanding what’s occurring, what the contracts and choices are.
“However our precedence is Franky and we’re in touch with Valentino himself. Valentino, I spent a variety of 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 believe he has the capability, and we are going to focus our minds on that.
“I believe for everyone we have to form 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 any person up.
“So, there isn’t a deadline, however typically talking we might say earlier than the summer season break.”
Toprak Razgatlioglu, Pata Yamaha WorldSBK
Picture 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 isn’t high of the record to exchange Morbidelli as Yamaha will nonetheless possible solely have two bikes on the grid subsequent yr.
“The largest drawback I might say for us anyway is whether or not we’ve got a spot, as a result of ideally… we’ve solely acquired two bikes on the grid, I believe it’s tough for us to get a satellite tv for pc staff 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 any person who’s going to be quick right away, and maybe Toprak will want extra time to stand up to hurry.
“So, it’s a tough name and ideally for us we wish Franky to run the remainder of the season with us and preserve 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 have been to pick out Toprak, he would undoubtedly 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 possibility amid rumours the Spaniard might make a change, Jarvis stated: “He’s superb, however there are a variety of superb riders on the market and it could possibly be any person from the MotoGP grid.
“You may also take into account any person from Moto2, that may be extra of an out of doors wager. There are totally different candidates, however I don’t wish to enter into names at this stage as it’s going to solely gas speculations, and our precedence is Franky.”
