Between Jerez and Jorge Lorenzo, there is a strong link which is that of the big Grand Prix debuts. It was in 2002 that the young Mallorcan, barely 15 years old, took the plunge. And only on Saturday, because on Friday, he was not yet of the legal age to climb on his 125. Since then, the toddler has made his way and here he is in the same place on the eve of celebrating his 32nd birthday on a Honda and five world titles in his bag.
But not only. 285 Grands Prix to celebrate, 68 victories including no less than 45 in the premier category, Jorge Lorenzo also prides itself on having been titled during the reign of Marc Márquez started in 2013. This crown dates from 2015 and is the last of the two previous ones in 2010 and 2012.
But that was with Yamaha. Once the house of tuning forks left, Ducati arrived and it took him two years to find success again. Just time to leave for Honda where he sets off again on an initiatory journey. No simpler. And for good reason : " I have never been 100% in shape for almost eight months” admits Lorenzo. “But I’m used to wrestling with problems and solving them. Such situations have accompanied me throughout my career. I never lost my patience, I always come back. I worked hard, I worked, I pushed and I got back to the top. Even now, we're still going to have good times. It's a question of time. Of course, I would rather be fit, win races or get on the podium. But most of the time in life you are busy losing and having problems. It's very difficult to win all the time.".
Lorenzo likes to drive in Jerez, he knows the track, he has already achieved great success there. He was also very strong in the November tests. Therefore, he expects a lot from this Spanish Grand Prix. “ Everything is looking positive so far. First, it won't rain for three days. Second, my left wrist is in much better condition. Also, the new bitumen is fantastic, the grip will be excellent. I am stronger than in November, I have improved my physical condition. The bike is faster, we have more power. The Honda is generally better than the 2018 version. So I have perfect conditions for this weekend. Now it's up to me to demonstrate the potential of the track ».
« After two years, I have a completely new bike that requires a completely different riding style than the Ducati. So I'm following the same process as the last two years » said the Repsol Honda rider.
Lorenzo suffered a broken chain during testing in Texas, but in the race he retired due to an electronic fault. “ Honda shipped the bike to Japan and checked everything on the dyno. The problem has recurred. Therefore the ECU has been configured to prevent this from happening ».
« I have been dealing with many negative stories for months. Since Misano, I no longer have a worry-free weekend. Since then, I have been hurt and hurt and hurt for over seven months. During this time, I couldn't do 100% of my usual workout. It's better now. I feel physically strong again. I'm not 100% yet, but I'm in better shape than in Qatar two months ago. The bike is more competitive, I am now about to translate these good conditions into better results. The lead here should be helpful. Everything looks good on paper » ends on speedweek the teammate of Marc Marquez.
