Lorenzo says Yamaha deal a dream for him

The Spaniard, the current 250cc world champion and also this year's championship leader, will make his MotoGP debut in 2008 aboard a factory-supported YZR-M1.

It is not yet known who Lorenzo will partner, however.

"Signing for Yamaha is the culmination of a dream," Lorenzo wrote on his website.

"Becoming a MotoGP rider, and with an official team like Yamaha, one of the most powerful and successful in the world, is the most important thing that could have happened to me."

Lorenzo was also thankful to the Piaggio Group, owners of Derbi and Aprilia, for their support over the years.

"In any case, I'm not going to show my happiness too much because I'm a professional and until the season ends I work for the Piaggio Group," he added.

"They were the ones who gave me the chance to make my debut int he championship with Derbi when I was 14 and I've won a 250cc title with Aprilia.

"And I'm never going to forget that behind the Piaggio projects there was always someone very important to me, and also my manager, Giampiero Sacchi, who had a blind trust in me when I was only a promise."