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Last tango at Valencia. The final weekend of the season is set to be exactly that for Jorge Lorenzo, back in shape for one final dance with his beloved-despised Ducati. “I need another week to be fully fit, if they'd operated two weeks earlier I could have raced in Malaysia and been 100% here but overall I'm doing well”.
Jorge once again sums up these last two years on board the red bike.
“I've had two passionate and emotional seasons. I think both parties thought we'd see results sooner, but that wasn't the case and I realised how difficult it is to change bike in MotoGP, especially going from Yamaha to Ducati. Once we got into our stride though we enjoyed some great moments and felt like kings of the world. I'm pleased to have helped develop this bike, one which many consider the best on the grid: I'm proud of that, and prefer to focus on the positives rather than the negatives".
Jorge doesn't want to leave with regrets.
“I tried with all my power to succeed. Over these two years, I've learned things that, had I known them soon,er I could have probably won sooner. For example, understanding how the tank should be, but it's too easy and pointless to have regrets. Overall, it's been a fruitful marriage for both parties, and if I could go back I'd come to Ducati again. Life is short and you have to do new things to challenge yourself, I don't regret what I've done. Who loses out, me or Ducati? Only time will tell”
Lorenzo's future lies with Honda where, let's not forget, he'll share a garage with Marc Marquez.
“It's always hard to be friends with a rival, especially if he's your team-mate, because if he wins there are no excuses. This doesn't mean we won't have a good relationship, we're mature enough to separate the track from everything else. Of course, if there is friction on track this can also blow up outside, but we'll see”.
Jorge will be able to count on his experience of sharing a garage with other champions, from Rossi to Dovizioso, but for now he's focused on the present.
“it will help of course, though without them I could have been champion seven times rather than three (he smiles). I've learned from them, having strong rivals helps you grow, and I think the same applies to them. Ten years ago, I would probably have been thinking more about the post-race test, but now I focus only on the present, because I know there's no point dreaming about the future, I want make the most of these days and leave my team with the best possible gift”.
