In 2025, six years after hanging up his leathers, Jorge Lorenzo continues to watch MotoGP with a keen eye. The five-time world champion, winner with Yamaha, Ducati, and Honda, spoke to the newspaper AS to reflect on his golden era and, above all, on the phenomenon that is Marc Marquez, already crowned world champion for the ninth time.
First of all, Jorge Lorenzo He proudly reminds us: he is the only pilot to have defeated Marquez between 2013 and 2020. And not just once:
« I'm the only one to have managed to beat all four members of the "Fantastic Four" in the same year. With Stoner, Valentino, Pedrosa, and Marquez, we formed the "Club of Five." Some years, I managed to beat them all, and I'm very proud of that. »
For the Majorcan, these victories had a special flavor: The first time was the most difficult, because that's when doubts and fears overwhelm you. But afterwards, everything becomes smoother. Yes, I managed to beat Marc. »
If there's one driver who doesn't underestimate the dominance of number 93, it's Lorenzo :
« Currently, no driver is at his level. The results demonstrate this. bagnaia et By Giannantonio They have the same motorcycle, and yet they can't even hope to reach its performance. »
And the former champion drives the point home: Between 2024 and 2025, there wasn't that much technical difference, but Marc is not only a cut above, in my opinion two notches above all the others »
Lorenzo remembers his early years facing the Catalan prodigy:
« From the start, it was extremely difficultDani Pedrosa and I had a bit more experience, but we both had injuries. He, on the other hand, was consistent and won in his first season. »
And he adds, admiringly: Winning your first race in only the second round, in Austin, is incredible! Getting on the podium in the very first… Only phenomena do that. Acosta, Stoner, Valentino… Marc belongs to that category. »
Jorge Lorenzo: “ It's tough to see your teammate a second faster »
More Lorenzo also knows what it's like to have Marquez in the same box. Their shared visit to Honda 2019 remains a bitter memory:
« What's really hard is taking off your helmet, looking at the lap times, and seeing that your teammate is half a second, or even a full second, faster.e. »
He compares this situation to the one we are experiencing today. bagnaia :
« Bagnaia did not expect such a gapHe thought he was more or less at the same level, but Marquez is still superior. It demoralizes you, it erodes your confidence, and it ends up affecting your driving »
Lorenzo, who himself has won titles with two different brands, knows what this means:
« Winning another championship with Ducati would be a turning point. It would undoubtedly place him among the top three in history. if not the best »
And he takes the reasoning even further: In terms of talent and speed, for me, Marc Marquez is the strongest and fastest rider in historyIf he wins with a third manufacturerThere would no longer be any debate. Those who still doubt that he is the best would have no more arguments »
Jorge LorenzoRival, teammate and privileged witness, no longer has any doubt. Marquez He dominated his era, and still dominates the next.
Two notches above, according to his greatest rival — a phrase that resonates as a tribute, but also as an implacable observation: in 2025, Marc Marquez He is not just a champion. He has become the absolute benchmark in MotoGP.
