Yamaha signed Jorge Lorenzo “to be ready if Valentino Rossi went to Formula 1”

A key Yamaha motivation for signing Jorge Lorenzo was because they were wary of Valentino Rossi moving into Formula 1.

Rossi tested Ferrari’s F1 machines between 2004 and 2006, and has claimed that the manufacturer’s then-boss Stefano Domenicali wanted him to switch sports.

Rossi, then 27, insists he was given an offer to drive for Ferrari-powered Minardi in F1, before hopefully stepping up to the famous team.

Recently-exited Yamaha boss Lin Jarvis has now admitted that bringing Lorenzo in was to mitigate for losing Rossi to F1.

“When Vale came we won in 2004, then we won again in 2005, the first two years, but after 2005 Valentino was seriously thinking about going to Formula 1,” Jarvis told MotoGP World.

“So it was just re-discovering MotoGP for Yamaha, we just won the first and second year and then what if he left? If he gave up on us?

“We had to have the next rider who could win, we had to take him and grow with him.

“And actually Jorge started riding for us in 2008, but we had a contract with him already in 2006!

“We contracted him to be ready if and when Valentino went to Formula 1 and so we would have the next one, because we could see that Lorenzo was a killer.”

Valentino Rossi v Jorge Lorenzo iconic feud

Rossi and Lorenzo’s time as Yamaha teammates was lit up by a famous rivalry.

A wall divided the Yamaha garage to ensure their data could not be shared, which became symbolic of their fractious relationship.

Notoriously in 2015, Rossi blamed Marc Marquez for missing out on the title which was claimed by Lorenzo.

“Initially when Jorge came in 2008 he was third in 2009, he was second and in 2010 he was champion,” Jarvis said.

“And that created the problem for Valentino to accept it.

“So Valentino left, to go to Ducati at that time. In 2011 and 2012 he went to Ducati and so that was the first big shake-up.

“Valentino in 2011 and 2012 was not successful with Ducati and came back to us in 2013.

“So then the roles were reversed. We got Valentino back when Jorge was the King.

“And this was another bold move and eventually Jorge decided to leave.”