Testing Times for Lorenzo
The five-time motorcycle world champion is back in the MotoGP paddock...
So, Jorge Lorenzo has returned to the MotoGP paddock, just months after announcing his retirement from the MotoGP paddock.
The three-time MotoGP world champion had a torrid season following his move to the factory Honda (HRC) team last year, culminating in a massive accident that broke his back. It was that crash at the Dutch TT that effectively became the moment that George decided to chuck in the towel.
The training accident that Lorenzo suffered in pre-season testing hobbled his progress once aboard the RC213V, and his poor results were not just because he wasn’t comfortable on the bike; a lot of it was down to his state of mind. Lorenzo had realised that he had put his body through too much, and, following the Assen crash, must have been thinking that he should quit while he could still walk away. On top of his injury worries was the fact that his much-vaunted move to HRC had not gone to plan. His team-mate Marc Marquez was utterly unfazed by Lorenzo’s arrival, so much so that Lorenzo might have let his fellow Spaniard get under his skin a bit too much as the 2019 season got underway.
Declining results at every race must have been compounding the doubt and worry in the mind of the ex-champion. With each bad result came a more significant gap between Lorenzo and Marquez, both in terms of lap times and a successful season. But, the bubble that Lorenzo had kept himself in was about to burst.
Lorenzo announced his retirement from top-level motorcycle racing ahead of the Spanish Grand Prix, his last MotoGP race.
In an emotional press conference, Lorenzo said, “I don’t want to race any more,” telling journalists that he had lost motivation after a series of crashes that left him unable to compete for wins.
The 33-year-old said that he did not have the passion for keeping going after breaking his back in Assen at the Dutch TT earlier in the year.
“I crashed again in this ugly Assen crash, and you all know the consequences,” he said. “I have to admit, when I was rolling on the gravel and when I stood up, I thought to myself, ‘okay Jorge, is this worth it, after what I’ve achieved, to keep suffering?’ I’m done with it, and I don’t want to race any more.
“I came home, I decided to give it a try, so I kept going, but the truth is, the hill became so high and so big for me that I wasn’t able to find the motivation, the passion to keep climbing the mountain.
“I think this is the best decision for the team and me because Honda and Jorge Lorenzo cannot fight just to score some points at the odd race or enter the top five or fight for the podium, I think it could be possible with time, but we are both winners that need to fight for the win.”
So, Jorge lapped up the praise for making a tough decision and retired. His social media was awash with his trips to the far east, chilling in Bali and shopping for Pagani hypercars. Then, as we slipped into 2020, Lorenzo and Yamaha Motor Co. revealed that he would join the Yamaha Factory Racing Test Team programme to boost MotoGP development during the 2020 season. WHAAAT?
After all the talk of poor performances due to problems resulting from the severe injuries he sustained in 2019; and his subsequent retirement from the sport, Jorge Lorenzo was going to be back on a 300BHP motorcycle, pushing the limits of its performance envelope in a testing role.
A statement released by Yamaha said that the Spaniard is the perfect man for the job as he is known for his smooth, precise riding and clear feedback. He will be supported in his search for innovation by Silvano Galbusera, who will be Crew Chief for Lorenzo in the Yamaha Factory Racing Test Team.
There are no planned wild card rides for Lorenzo in 2020, but Yamaha is open to the possibility, should he decide to race again.
Lorenzo said “I’m pleased with the decision to join the Yamaha Factory Test Team. I was always planning on staying involved in MotoGP and returning to the paddock, and I think this is a suitable role for me. I know the team and the M1 well. The Yamaha suited my riding style, and it will be exciting to ‘meet up with my old bike again’.
“Returning to Yamaha brings with it some good memories. We secured many podiums and victories, and three titles together, so we know where our strengths lie. I want to thank Yamaha for this opportunity because this allows me to do what I love – riding motorbikes and pushing the limit – while enjoying a slightly calmer lifestyle than I did in previous years.
“I’m very motivated to get to work and can’t wait to start riding. I want to do my best for Yamaha’s future, and I hope my riding experience will be helpful to Yamaha’s engineers and riders to bring the title back to Yamaha.”
The question now is, can Lorenzo be a fast and effective test rider, willing to push the YZR-M1 to the limit and beyond?