You are here

MotoGP, Lorenzo reckons Quartararo in the team had a psychological impact on Vinales

"He has been trying to win with Yamaha for five years and now he wants to try a different path. I can understand that, I did it too. MotoGP is a closed chapter for me, I’m enjoying life, which is only one"

MotoGP: Lorenzo reckons Quartararo in the team had a psychological impact on Vinales

Share


Jorge Lorenzo returned to the track at Misano and did so at ProDay, riding with a Yamaha R1. The Spaniard is a testimonial for Vmoto Soco, who on this day invited him to the track to once again show off all his crystalline class.

We took the opportunity to interview Jorge, who as always impressed us with his straightforward and precise way of doing things. From present to future, Maverick Vinales’ decision and the unfortunately missed opportunity to enter the world of Aprilia.

"I like to go back on the track at Misano with the Yamaha R1 - Jorge told us - but I've always been a perfectionist type while today I'm just here to have fun and not to try to go faster or win. Everything I did in life was to achieve that goal, while now everything is different. I’m doing it just to have a great day”.

You seem to be much more relaxed today, you have a different face.

"Yes, now I smile more. When you are in a sport at a very high level you always have to be very concentrated and in my case when I am very concentrated it almost seems that I am angry, too serious. When instead I have fun and I am relaxed I have a completely different face ".

 

You always talked about 99% retirement. Are we still there now, or are we 100%?

"After so many years in which I have dedicated myself completely to my sport, now I am experiencing what it means to have a good life. Eat what I want, sleep as much as I want. When you stop making certain sacrifices, afterwards it is really very difficult to go back to making them and also take risks for your health. I did it for thirty years of my life, but now that chapter is closed and I’m thinking about enjoying life, which is only one ".

Lorenzo: "Vinales thinks he can win the world championship and wants to try a different path. It's good for him"

 

What are your thoughts on Vinales' decision to leave Yamaha at the end of the season?

"Maverick gave everything to win with Yamaha, but for one reason or another he did not succeed. For sure having a teammate like Quartararo, who on average is ahead of him, is not easy to manage from a psychological point of view and I think it weighed a lot for him. He certainly thinks he is a rider capable of winning the championship and he has tried for many years with Yamaha. He failed for some reason and now he wants to try another path and he’s right to do that. I did it too in the past and I wish him all the best. "

It seemed that you were on the point of entering the Aprilia orbit at the beginning of 2021. What happened?

"I was in contact with Rivola, who has been my friend since he was in Ferrari. We talked about it, in the first approach they offered me to go to them to race, while I wanted to try to do it as a test rider. We had negotiations to try to achieve this collaboration, but they didn't want to invest so much to have a champion like me as a test rider. For sure I would have cost more than other riders who haven’t won that much, so we didn't find an agreement. "

In 2021 there will be eight Ducatis on the track. Do you think that is too many?

"Ducati will have eight bikes, but in the end the championship has to continue and live. This was obviously the best solution to do it. Ducati was available, they have the bikes and the budget, so it was the only solution they could find."

What will Jorge Lorenzo do with his life now?

"Things have gone very well in my life, I have sacrificed a lot and I thank life for what it has given me. I certainly don't need to do any great things to survive, I might actually do nothing. But in life there is not just vacationing, eating and sleeping, you need goals to achieve. I would like to continue to enjoy life, which is only one, and then maybe be a good entrepreneur for my assets, to try to make them grow maybe" .

 

Related articles