It's a very rich interview that Jorge Lorenzo gave to Nadia Tronchoni for the newspaper's website El Pais.
On the French side, we will of course focus on the judgment of the Ducati rider on our sole representative in MotoGP…
Jorge Lorenzo : “It’s no coincidence that Zarco always goes faster than the official drivers. It's not luck. It is very clean and very good. I don't want to say that Viñales isn't, he's a great driver and he's incredibly talented, and there's nothing to add about Rossi that we don't know. The only thing Zarco lacked last year was respecting the opponents. If you don't respect other drivers, you won't have my respect. But what he does with an unofficial bike is incredible. »
But that's far from all. In addition to a desire to succeed which becomes obsessive already mentioned (see here), the Mallorcan champion explains his ups and downs during the last pre-season tests by different elements: « With this bike I still have to ride a little abnormally. I'm trying to find the trick to turning the bike around corners. Dovizioso, thanks to his way of riding or the years he has done, knows some tricks to turn the bike in the corner that I still need to understand and apply on the track to get the most out of it. Maybe it's not as natural for me to get to this point as it was when I first picked up the Yamaha. The bike has improved, but so have the others. Even so, I think Gigi and the engineers will manage to make the best bike on the grid. And that I can aspire to the world title. »
For this, number 99 leaves nothing to chance and comments on his visible increase in muscle mass: “MotoGP has become such a competitive and professional championship that it is not enough to be motivated. You must be obsessed with perfection, taking care of even the smallest detail. And I wanted to go further on issues such as physical preparation and diet. Little by little, this obsession will pay off. I believe that with a little more strength I will acquire resistance in the races and it will be easier to control and move the bike which requires more physical power than the Yamaha with its very docile engine. This engine is aggressive, very powerful and has a certain inertia when entering a curve that other conventional motorcycles do not have. But there are also very positive points, which you must know how to take advantage of, such as power or stability when braking. With this you can win a lot of races, like Dovizioso last year. »
Jorge Lorenzo completes this panorama with some explanations…
Dovizioso’s “trick” for going fast?
“I know what it is, but I find it difficult to apply. Pilots have a lot of automation and, like everything, you have to start little by little. »
The fins?
“The weak points are too big. A lot of speed is lost on the straight, and in some curves they create a lot of instability. The factories haven't found the way yet, but it's a matter of time. »
The Ducati best bike in the field?
“I am convinced of what engineers can do. Gigi is very stubborn; He won't stop until he wins the championship. If today the bike turns more in the corners, it's because I insisted on the fact that it was very important to work on different types of chassis. Now I'm just missing the results; and that I adapt as quickly as possible. »
The upcoming season?
“Since the appearance of Michelin and the new electronics, everything has been equalized so that anyone can win races. All five brands are now at a very similar level, because electronically you can't tell any difference, only with the engine and chassis. And the Michelins make it very difficult to be consistent during the 19 races. »
The future ?
" I don't know. I don't know what will happen. I am in a situation in my life where I can choose. We'll see what works for me. I still think I would like to continue with Ducati, which would be the most logical and beautiful, but a lot of things can happen. »
