Reports indicate he will only ride the Desmosedici at Valencia.
Reigning MotoGP World Champion Jorge Lorenzo’s current Movistar Yamaha squad has reportedly shut down a request from Ducati to have the Spaniard on track at a post-season test at Jerez in late November.
According to leading Italian publication Gazzetta dello Sport, Lorenzo will be at the Valencia test directly following the final round of this season, but won’t be back aboard the Desmosedici until 2017 testing commences at the end of January.
“We tried to unlock the situation in every way possible, but we found ourselves facing a wall,” said Ducati sporting director Davide Tardozzi, who confirmed Andrea Iannone will be able to test the Suzuki following Valencia. “We didn’t even think about it – we believe that in a environment of sportsmanship these things should be common.”
While Lorenzo is under contract to Yamaha until the end of 2016, it has become common for teams to release riders after the season has concluded if they are heading to a new manufacturer. It’s understood Iannone will ride the GSX-RR after Valencia, as will Maverick Vinales aboard the YZR-M1 at Sepang next month.