Iannone not thinking about Lorenzo's possible Ducati MotoGP move

Talk that Lorenzo will leave Yamaha at the end of the season to join Ducati has increased in recent days, amid suggestions a deal will be announced at the first European event of the year at Jerez in a fortnight.

As with the pre-event press conference in Argentina last week, the three-time champion declined to discuss the topic on Thursday afternoon ahead of this weekend's round in America.

"I cannot tell you nothing more than what I told you in Argentina," Lorenzo said.

Later in the session, Lorenzo opted not to answer a direct question about whether he had received an offer from Ducati.

Both Iannone and team-mate and Andrea Dovizioso are out of contract at the end of 2016, and while Iannone had been thought more likely to stay if there was a rider change at Ducati, he has crashed out of the first two races.

In Qatar, he was second in the lead pack, while in Argentina last weekend he took Dovizioso out with him at the penultimate corner, while the pair was second and third.

When asked if he worried that those incidents could affect his Ducati future, Iannone said: "I hope not.

"At the moment, I am not thinking about the future.

"For me, the future is now because after these two races it is very important for me to finish the races in a really good way, a really good position.

"We have a lot of potential for a fight with the best riders and the best bikes.

"This is my priority at the moment."

DEFENDING NOT ATTACKING IN ARGENTINA

Iannone has received a three-place grid penalty for Sunday's race at the Circuit of the Americas, and Ducati was due to talk to both riders about the clash before practice starts on Friday.

While admitting it had been "a very bad start to the season", Iannone said he was looking to defend third from Valentino Rossi at the last corner of Termas de Rio Hondo, rather than take second from Dovizioso.

"For me, it's very important to stay on the podium and I had the position," he said.

"But I knew I had Valentino on the rear, and I thought Vale would try to pass me on the last corner.

"I think I tried to stay a little bit more inside on the corner, but I touched the dirty track and I crashed, unfortunately also Dovi.

"It's a very difficult moment for us, but for sure we will try to improve."