The 2020 championship runner-up has been beneath 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 12 months.
After a powerful weekend in Argentina, by which he was fourth in qualifying, the dash race and the grand prix, Morbidelli’s Yamaha future was referred to 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 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 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 kind.
“I actually can’t let you know something,” Jarvis mentioned when requested if any talks had taken place between Yamaha and Morbidelli.
“We’re at all times involved with all the managers within the paddock, understanding what’s occurring, what the contracts and choices are.
“However our precedence is Franky and we’re involved with Valentino himself. Valentino, I spent plenty 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 mainly do what he did [in Argentina].
“That’s it, that’s all he has to do, to mainly be quick. So, I believe he has the capability, and we’ll focus our minds on that.
“I believe 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 any individual up.
“So, there isn’t any 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 in the future, Jarvis suggests the Turk just isn’t prime of the record to switch Morbidelli as Yamaha will nonetheless probably solely have two bikes on the grid subsequent 12 months.
“The largest drawback I’d say for us anyway is whether or not now we have a spot, as a result of ideally… we’ve solely received two bikes on the grid, I believe it’s troublesome for us to get a satellite tv for pc workforce on the grid subsequent 12 months,” he added.
“So, we may have two spots solely and each of these two spots we’ll want any individual who’s going to be quick right away, and maybe Toprak will want extra time to stand up to hurry.
“So, it’s a troublesome 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’d say we don’t know but, it’s nonetheless too early to say. If we had 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’ll see.”
When requested if Pramac Ducati’s Jorge Martin is an possibility amid rumours the Spaniard may make a swap, Jarvis mentioned: “He’s excellent, however there are plenty of excellent riders on the market and it may very well be any individual from the MotoGP grid.
“You may also take into account any individual from Moto2, that might be extra of an outdoor wager. There are completely different candidates, however I don’t wish to enter into names at this stage as it’ll solely gas speculations, and our precedence is Franky.”