It is what it is. It could be the fascination of his return, it could be that Seeing him in Yamaha colors is a reminder of many great races and great memories. but if Jorge Lorenzo leaves the pit lane with the M1, all eyes are on him. The Mallorcan has completed his first tests as a Yamaha tester and a wildcard entry for the Barcelona GP seems to have already been confirmed. Lorenzo, after three years in the background (apart from the performance of three races won in Ducati) slowly takes his place back in the paddock.
Jorge, how was it to get back on the bike that made you master?
“Well, the bike I tried a few days ago wasn’t much different from how I remembered the M1. That is either luck or bad luck, depending on your point of view. However, the bike is still very competitive and easy, especially for those riders who, like me, are looking for suppleness. nowadays I found a couple of points that we need to work hard onThose are the ones that Ducati and Honda go really fast with. However, there are also many positive points. “
Which bike did you try today and how do you feel at the end of these tests?
“Yamaha decided not to give me a new bike this afternoon. They thought about it, but in the end it was their decision. There weren’t enough parts to prepare a new bike for me, but they would have loved a fourth opinion on the new M1. However, I felt better today than a few days ago because we’ve made some advances in settings and electronics. I walked a second faster without performing a time attack. I had planned it for the afternoon, but then it started to rain. “
How do you feel physically Did getting back on the bike have any consequences?
“I am fine, My spine is perfectly fineon a muscular level, I’ve worked a lot in the gym, maybe need to shed a few pounds that I’ve gained on vacation and do a little more cardio to achieve a higher pulse rate. Now I’m staying in Dubai for a week and then returning to Lugano. I will be training a lot to be ready for the Qatar tests. “
What work did you do today
“I didn’t get a chance to time attack because In the morning we weren’t in shape with the setup or the tires. and I couldn’t have left very quickly. I could have done a time at 58.9-59.0. The pace with used rubber is similar to the others, I think it’s good. I’ve also done a few work with Quartararo and Vinales by comparing the new tires with old and new bikes to give the technicians as much information as possible “.
What is the difference between riding a motorcycle without aiming to win the world title?
“It’s completely different when it comes to stress. I don’t feel nervous and under pressure to make the best time. I won’t feel like I’m winning a race anymore and I’ll miss it, however I also removed all negative things about driving: Travel and Pressure ”.
Maybe now you can understand a little more why Stoner retired?
“If you can win a World Cup, you will be compensated for all the negative feelings. But if you got injured and not having fun and after winning 5 world championships it is not normal to move on. “
Back to the Yamaha, didn’t you think you made a mistake leaving them three years ago?
“I’m not someone to complain about decisions made in the past. A life without mistakes is impossible. We all make decisions and 50% of them are right and 50% wrong. The Ducati experience was intense and the Honda one didn’t go well, but I still had some good moments. I am an athlete and a lucky guy. “
When did you realize that you could get back on track so early?
“Yamaha immediately showed interest in me when I announced my retirement in Valencia. Lin Jarvis contacted me pretty early on and at that point I had to decide if I wanted to drive again and make that decision. I wanted to study the contract and my options, then I made up my mind “.
Audio recording by Paolo Scalera