Yamaha willing to retain Rossi, Lorenzo

Valentino Rossi's contract comes to an end this year, but Jarvis is willing to retain the Italian and team-mate Jorge Lorenzo, and he reckons Yamaha is still a very attractive team.

"That's our program," Jarvis was quoted as saying by Gazzetta dello Sport. "They cost too much together? I don't think it's just a matter of money.

"We can give them an adequate retainer for their value, plus a very interesting technical situation and bike."

He added: "I don't like market talk so early in the season. However, we must accept it, so we are doing our talks and we hope to be able to define the 2011 team by mid season, let's say by Laguna Seca, in order to be able to focus on results during the second half of the season."

He said, however, that his company is not ready to enter a financial fight with Ducati for Lorenzo, the Spaniard having received offers from the Italian manufacturer in the past.

"We certainly have no interest in fighting over the retainer. Fiat are very happy and they would like to go on with the same people. In any case, we'll sort out the riders first."

HRC vice-president Shuei Nakamoto added that Honda is also interested in having Rossi or Casey Stoner in its line-up.

"We haven't drawn a program for next year yet. Maybe we'll do it in July. But the four best riders have their contracts expiring so it's normal we are interested in all of them, Valentino too.

"Because Honda is not content with podiums, we want to win. We've asked [Casey's father and manager] Colin Stoner if they would like to come with us. However, we absolutely didn't get into the details - like number of years or retainer - at all."