MotoGP, Jorge Lorenzo, Honda: “beating Márquez will be more difficult than beating Rossi”

Jorge Lorenzo is at the same stage as his other MotoGP colleagues. Or in a vigil of arms before the opening of hostilities of a 2019 season which will begin with the Qatar Grand Prix. A campaign that promises to be indecisive and tight that Por Fuera will tackle with a new motorcycle. A Honda that is not easy to pin down and alongside a teammate who has been the benchmark since 2013. The Majorcan definitely likes difficulty. But listening to him, this time, he chose to take on the toughest challenge of a career decorated with five world crowns.

Jorge Lorenzo built his record among the elite within an official Yamaha team where he had to go into battle against a certain Valentino Rossi. This time it will be Marc Márquez, with a Honda. The former Ducati therefore seems seasoned to the clash of the titans. However, he comments on what awaits him… “ I hope Marquez will be a less difficult opponent than Rossi. But the reality is actually different. It will be more complicated against Marc. Because of his speed, his aggressiveness and his thirst for victories. He is 26 years old, he is the current world champion and he knows the bike much better than me ».

That being said, it would be wrong to know Lorenzo than imagine that he leaves defeated in this upcoming confrontation: “ no matter what, in MotoGP anything is possible and you can always expect surprises. In my career I have always pursued my goals until I achieved them. Those who know me know that I am stubborn. On a sporting level, it was difficult to reach the World Championship. Leaving Mallorca, no one had ever done it before, but I managed it step by step, until I was MotoGP champion. Everything that happened later is a gift ».

He pursues : " I like being called the “dream team”. And that's true. Because the last World Champions were Márquez, me, and Rossi. Competing in the official Honda team is the dream of every driver, his career and his strength. It would be like playing for Madrid or Barça for a footballer. We are satisfied with the work done by Honda with the engine, we are very close to the Ducati ».

And where is he himself? “ I feel pretty good. My physical condition improved and during the last test I managed to go fast. I don't think I'll be 100% for the first race but very close to the top ". A summit that will be complicated to wait for this year: “ the level of competitiveness in MotoGP has reached a level never seen before. It's not like in 2010, when you could aspire to get on the podium in every Grand Prix or win by 5 seconds and go into the next race with a 10-point lead depending on the circuit. Today, every thousandth counts. Viñales was very fast after a lap in Qatar, we will see in the race. But there are several drivers who can beat Marquez, not just me. We have seen Suzuki and Ducati make significant progress, so I think we will have 6 or 7 riders with the possibility of winning the title ».

He ends with the fact that he launched the debate on an advanced start on the scheduled time of the Qatari race due to track conditions and humidity making the track slippery, even dangerous. A particularity which he suffered during the last of the three days of testing, during which he fell: “ Ezpeleta talks a lot with the drivers and he is very close to us. We know he will always try to help us » he assures Solomoto.