On the occasion of Yamaha's 65th anniversary, let's look back at six riders, who, in six different decades, made the tuning fork brand shine. It is Jorge Lorenzo, worthy representative of the brand during the 2010 decade, who closes this retrospective.
Newly retired, Lorenzo has not had a career like any other. In the premier category, he only experienced extreme results. Moments of intense joy, exacerbated rivalries and terrible black series.
In the great MotoGP novel, he is the anti-hero. The one who is not politically correct, the one who sometimes does too much. But like super-villains, he is surrounded by an aura, an almost legendary veil. Heavy, its presence imposes itself on the grid.
This character trait is noticed from the victory of his two 250cc titles, in 2006 and 2007. He celebrates his victories by making mythical references, to samurai and gladiators. Throughout his career, these images will be present. This is reminiscent of Valentino Rossi, who also had a whole universe around him; the sun, the moon and many other elements.
Jorge Lorenzo, dressed all in white, tested the Yamaha YZR-M1 at the end of 2007. His debut in MotoGP was resounding, with a pole and a second place. Photo: Yamaha Community
"Vale" had a great influence in the development of the character of "Por Fuera", but we will have the opportunity to talk about that later. Thus, he arrived alongside the Italian in 2008, within the Yamaha factory. A gold handlebar that perfectly suits Lorenzo's cast style.
This style was part of his character. The comparison with Eddie Lawson is obvious, but applied to the 800cc then the big 1000cc, it becomes more spectacular. The Spaniard never seemed to force the bike, but always accompanied it, taking it from turn to turn. This requires perfect knowledge of the motorcycle, but also of the limits of your body. A mechanical precision which was reflected in the times, as regular as possible.
In theory, his style was unbeatable. Little tire wear, almost no crashes, mainly due to the fact that he spent each lap in the same place on the track, at the same speed, while displaying astonishing consistency. This resulted in what fans and detractors called "Lorenzo victories", that is to say five seconds ahead of the second at the finish.
But the problem is that the limits of the motorcycle and the human body directly depend on external conditions. So, if the slightest grain of sand jams the machine, weekends can quickly turn into a nightmare. For example, let's look at his career. Every time the track conditions change, the bike is not suitable for the circuit (like at the Sachsenring), he can't do it and seems to be struggling, doing as best he can.
“Por Fuera” is a tough guy. However, its relationship to fear is interesting. He never hid that he was “scared”, or found that the speed of the machines was too high, particularly at Mugello. Which is ironic, considering the Tuscan circuit is one of his favorites.
Times. It's a word that comes up often when we trace the career of the Majorcan. Although he did not fall often, his falls were often spectacular and serious. Indeed, this type of pilot likes to work with the front of the machine, and stalls most of the time come from the rear: the highsides.
Some are even absolutely terrifying, like the one suffered in 2008 at Laguna Seca, or in 2013 at Assen. This last race also marks a turning point in his world epic. That day, spectators discovered a man tough on evil, a true gladiator, a hero.
If we tell this story without images, we could believe in a Greek myth. It's all there: the symbolism, the heroic acts, the danger and of course...legendary adversaries.
To be continued.
Cover photo: Yamaha Community
