Lorenzo Reflects on MotoGP Title
Cycle News Staff | October 10, 2010
Fiat Yamaha’s Jorge Lorenzo’s dream came true when he won the 2010 MotoGP World Championship with a third place finish in the Malaysian Grand Prix in Sepang.Lorenzo became only the second Spanish rider to win the premier class title-the other was Alex Criville in 1999-and the first Spaniard to win both the 250cc and premier class titles.He’s also the sixth youngest premier class winner after Freddie Spencer, Casey Stoner, Mike Hailwood, John Surtees, and Rossi.”This is my first title in the premier category and my dream has come true,” the 23-year-old from Majorca said. “This is really the maximum a motorcycle rider can achieve in his career, so we have to celebrate and enjoy these hours, minutes and seconds like it’s the end of the world. You imagine this moment in your head your whole life but when it comes you don’t know how to act or what to say. I am trying to be relaxed, to speak clearly and not say anything crazy. I’m so tired right now; I just need to be alone in a room for a few minutes, just thinking about what I’ve done.”Lorenzo thanked everyone involved, Yamaha, where he’ll ride for the next two years; his team, led by Wilco Zeelenberg in his first year as team manager; Bridgestone and “of course thank you very much to my fans, who have been with me every step of the way.”The perfect situation today would have been to win, but it wasn’t to be this time. I made a good start and was riding well and I thought I could go away from Andrea (Dovizioso) at one point, but then he overtook me and then Valentino (Rossi) as well, and I thought there were too many risks today to fight for the victory; it was better to wait until the end of the race.”Motorcycling is my passion and my job but it’s also a game, and this is what I was saying when I held up the sign saying ‘game over.’ Today it’s over for this season because I am the World Champion.”Asked about his future, when he’ll battle Rossi on a Ducati and Casey Stoner on a Honda, Lorenzo said he wasn’t thinking about it, “I just want to celebrate my first MotoGP title and I can’t think beyond this night. The future will be tough and exciting, with giants for my rivals, but we don’t need to think about that now, we can just enjoy the moment.”In the immediate future he admitted that “Phillip Island isn’t my best track for MotoGP, but I want to try to win because I haven’t won there. I want to win some more races this season and I will try my hardest to do so.” Stoner has won the last three races at Phillip Island.”We have come such a long way; some things happen very slowly in your career and some very fast. When I started in the World Championship I was almost last in the 125 class but in only eight years I have become MotoGP World Champion. It’s incredible how life can change. We have fought so hard and for this. I’ve been fortunate because I’ve had good luck, good bikes and good teams. I’ve always been surrounded by people who want to best for me and I am very grateful for this.”The season ended better than it had started, Lorenzo said.”The pre-season didn’t start so well with my broken finger” from a winter test, “but in the end it’s been a fantastic year. If I had to pick the three best races I would say the number one was Jerez, because it was the first time I won there in MotoGP and it’s maybe the best place to win a race. Plus I enjoyed my jump in the lake. Silverstone was maybe the best race I made, because I was aggressive and fast. Then finally here, not for the riding but for the importance and the World Championship.”Rossi has never raced with the number ‘1′, preferring to keep his traditional ’46,’ though he has a small number ‘1′ on the back of the right shoulder of his leathers. Lorenzo hasn’t said whether he’ll run the ‘1′ or not, though that would certainly be Yamaha’s choice. “If I can think of a good design , then yes, if not I stick with 99.”Finally he said, “World Champion – it sounds unbelievable to hear these words, it is such a pleasure, you feel like you’re king of the world. We will enjoy this night to the maximum.”
