“Only Yamaha has three winning drivers” / MotoGP SPEEDWEEK

MotoGP

By Simon Patterson – 02/14/2020 11:45

Yamaha noble tester Jorge Lorenzo sprinkles roses to his employer – and he reveals: “I want Valentino, Maverick or Fabio to win.” Wildcard bets are also an issue.

The fact that Jorge Lorenzo will make a comeback as a racing driver does not rule out 100 percent of the 32-year-old almost three months after his resignation at the 2019 Valencia GP. The five-time world champion also strikes new tones in the interview.

Lorenzo celebrated 44 of his 47 MotoGP wins and three World Championship titles on the M1. In his new test driver role, the ambitious Mallorcan now wants to ensure that Yamaha finally finds its way back to the winning road.

Jorge, how did the deal with Yamaha come about?

When I announced my resignation, Yamaha suddenly came to me with great interest. It seemed like the perfect role because I can use it to do what I love: riding a motorcycle. I can be part of a project and feel like I’m improving things that have always been nice. All without traveling, without the many people in the paddock during a GP weekend and without the pressure that comes with it. I thought, “Why not?” Because it gives me the best of my career without the worst. Of course, I will miss the feeling you can only feel as a driver – winning a MotoGP race – but you can’t have everything in life.

I don’t know why I always seem to be the center of attention because it happens so much – when I buy a new car, when I announce my plans … That often leads to very high expectations, but I just do that what I love – and I think at Yamaha I can now have the good things without the bad side.

The feeling in the team is very familiar again. It’s not that they treated me badly at Ducati and Honda, it was quite the opposite because they treated me well and did their best. But the feeling at Yamaha is different and the motorcycle also feels very familiar, especially with my driving style.

Are you looking forward to working with Yamaha and especially Fabio Quartararo in 2020?

At the moment, Yamaha is the only team that has three riders who can win races and fight for the World Championship. Honda currently only has Marc and Suzuki only has Rins because Mir has yet to make his first podium. Ducati may have three, but Yamaha has three chances to win with their three riders.

If you know Fabio as a person, you know that he never argues with anyone and always smiles. It changes a lot when it switches to racing mode – it is charged and full of energy. When he takes off his helmet, he’s a really cool guy. I don’t think anyone can dislike him – it’s easy to like him.

Yamaha now has a very exciting team for the future. I think it’s also the first time ever that I want someone – apart from me – to win! I couldn’t win last year, so I liked it if Marc won for the team. But now I really want to see Valentino, Maverick or Fabio win. Hopefully Franco can take the last step too.

Are you planning 2020 wildcard bets?

Nothing is confirmed at the moment, even if people talk a lot about Montmeló. I’ll be there to meet the winners of my helmet competition, but I don’t know if I’ll be there as a spectator or a driver. It will depend a lot on my feeling with the motorcycle. If I’m quite competitive and I have the pace to race, then maybe. It’s not the same thing to be fast and to have race pace.

Could successful wildcard appearances tempt you to return as a full-time driver?

At the moment I am happy with the role I have because I can enjoy life in a way that I have not been able to in the past 20 years. There are many things I want to do, other projects and new things. But you never know in life.

After Valencia it was 99 percent no, now maybe 98 percent. If the probability has increased by one percent in two months, it may become even more in the future, but for now it’s a no.

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