INDIANAPOLIS — Now that Jorge Lorenzo has re-signed with Fiat Yamaha, the race for MotoGP teams to sign away drivers from their rivals can begin.
Lorenzo is second in the point standings behind teammate and eight-time world champion Valentino Rossi of Italy. The 22-year-old Spaniard had offers from other teams, but he chose to stay put.
Lorenzo said Friday that he’s happy to be back with the team for another year.
“I know the bike,” he said. “I think we can do better next year. We can be faster.”
Much of the talk heading into Sunday’s Indianapolis Grand Prix has focused on where drivers will end up next season. Lorenzo’s decision opens things up for other drivers, including Spaniards Toni Elias and Dani Pedrosa, who have uncertain futures with their current teams.
“I think he was the No. 1 domino,” American rider Colin Edwards said of Lorenzo. “If he signed, everything was going to kind of fall into place.”
And Rossi’s glad to keep Lorenzo as a teammate.
“We hear a lot of rumors before that Jorge is maybe move to Honda or to Ducati,” Rossi said. “I think at the end, he make the right choice.”
GIVING UP? Jorge Lorenzo is 50 points behind teammate Valentino Rossi with six races to go and isn’t sure he can win the points title.
“I think it’s almost impossible,” Lorenzo said. “Mathematically, it’s possible, but physically, maybe it’s too much.”
Rossi won the Indianapolis race last year.
HAYDEN’S GOOD DEED: American rider Nicky Hayden’s will wear a helmet bearing the Make-A-Wish Foundation logo during Sunday’s race.
The helmet will be auctioned off after the event, and all the money will go to the foundation.
“I have worked with this charity for five years now, and it always feels good to help out such a solid cause,” he said. “And yes, I have already made my wish for the weekend.”
Perhaps that’s to finish a bit better than last year. The Owensboro, Ky. native, finished second in the rain-shortened event last September, despite racing with a broken heel.
EDWARDS’ INDY MEMORIES: Colin Edwards said it’s special to compete at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway.
The American driver grew up in Houston watching the Indianapolis 500 and respects the track and its tradition.
“Just to ride on it, much less race on it, I think is pretty special in itself,” he said. “OK, we’re not doing the full four corners (of the oval), but we’re using part of the track, running over the bricks. Just being in that area is quite special.”
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