Morbidelli entered 2023 with question marks surrounding whether Yamaha would keep him beyond his current contract whi🐟ch expires at the end of this campaign.

Toprak Razgatlioglu🦩 testing the M1 in Jerez last week added fuel to the rumour mill.

• ﷽Yamaha boss reveals No1 hope for 2024 🎀line-up - and it's not Toprak Razgatlioglu

Asked if there was a deadline for Morbidelli’s future to be decided, Yamaha 📖managing director Jarvis said: “Yes. 

“Obviously, to be frank, all of these considerati🅠ons? At the end of the first half of the season, he need🐬s to know and we need to know for planning for next year.

“There is no specific deadline set in stone.”

Jarvis has previously emphasised that his No 1 choice to be Fabio Quartararo’s teammate in 2024 would be Morbidelli, if he can maintain the fine form he has shown in t💦🔯he first three rounds of this season.

Jorge Martin, th⛄e Pramac Ducati rider, is another name heavily linked with a switch to Yamaha for next year.

“It’s too early to talk about names,” J🎐arvis replied. “The priority is Franky🎀.

“If♌ it’s not going to happen, we’ll look at it, at the appropriate time.”

Morbidelli was outperforming his esteemed ꦛteammate Quartararo after two rounds of this season, an excellent start particularly considering the pressure he has c﷽ome under.

His renewed potential is a part of the fine form shown by his fellow VR46 Academy ride𓃲rs, Marco Bezzechi, Luca Marini and Fra꧂ncesco Bagnaia.

But Yamaha s💝till only envisage two bikes on the grid next year so Morbidelli 𓆉must continue scrapping away to earn a new contract.

“At this moment, to have a satellite team for ‘24 seems to be difficult,” Jarvis said. “That ꦯis the reality.

“We’d like to have four bikes back on theജ grid at the earliest possible opportunity.

“But I think it w♕ill be difficult for ‘24 for various re🌳asons.

“For sure, we will have the factory team there.

“We 🌺have Franky on a contract until the end of this year.

“Otherwise we would look in the MotoGP paddock.”