MotoGP – Jorge Lorenzo in the footsteps of motorcycle legends –

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Jorge Lorenzo in the footsteps of motorcycle legends

MotoGP - Jorge Lorenzo in the footsteps of motorcycle legends -

Double world champion at 20, Jorge Lorenzo has not finished making an impression: titled for the second time yesterday at Sepang, he won his first 250 title last year and is preparing to join Valentino Rossi at Yamaha in 2008…

In 2003, a young Spanish driver from Mallorca won his first Grand Prix in Rio. Four seasons later, Jorge Lorenzo combines successes and provocative statements !

So on the evening of the Australian Grand Prix (read), after having stuck almost 20 seconds to his rivals, "the man with the lollipop" exploded his joy at having equaled the number of victories in a season of drivers like Max Biaggi or Valentino Rossi.

The official Aprilia has indeed entered the very closed circle of drivers totaling nine victories in one season: Biaggi achieved it in 1996, Rossi in 1999 and Melandri in 2002.

After having equaled the record for the number of pole positions held by the German Anton Mang (ten) and that for the number of successive podiums of Olivier Jacques (nine) in 2006, the one who completes his third season in quarter-liter can now stroke the hope of joining the biggest on the statistics board !

In front of him on the prize list is Anton Mang and his ten races won in 1981, out of 11 contested races! On the other hand, after his 3rd place at Sepang yesterday, the "Spanish number one" of the current 250 will no longer be able to beat the record of the late Daijiro Kato, who remains the benchmark in the category with his eleven victories in 2001 over 16 races….

However, as a conclusion of his demonstration at Phillip Island, the fiery Spanish driver won his second world title yesterday in Sepang by maddening statistics !

And while his eternal rival, Andrea Dovizioso, recently declared that he "would not give up the game until the season is over", Lorenzo, he indulged in his second inclination: explosive announcements! Thus, whoever could afford to finish in eleventh place in the Malaysian GP to be titled tells us that in Australia, despite his incredible lead, he could have gone faster but he didn’t want to fall! And this while he stuck at least one second per lap to his direct pursuers … Competitors who, according to him, "would pay"to be in his situation !

Pretentious, young Lorenzo? Perhaps less than at the beginning of 2006, when he declared that he wanted to win all the races of the season … Returning later to his remarks, the anecdote recalls the joke of Valentino Rossi in 2005 when he explained that he had to look for his opponents in the past, in reference to his unquestionable successes in MotoGP.

Vale then moderated his remarks, but the goal was achieved: to mark his rivals psychologically. A method that Jorge uses and abuses with relish, like his "Lorenzo’s lands" flags which he angrily plants in the soil of each of the events he wins.

Next year, these two great champions will have to live in the same box with their official Yamaha: which of the two will take the upper hand over the other, both on and off the track ?

To get an idea, just remember Lorenzo’s head at a press conference after the Australian race, when his future team-mate, seven-time world champion including five times in the premier category, announced his desire to run. on Bridgestones in 2008 !

Surprised, as it was agreed that he would benefit from the same equipment as the Italian star, the young Lorenzo preferred to kick in touch as he said he was focusing on the behavior of his Dunlops in the two races to come….

It is now up to him to clarify the matter while Hiroshi Yamada, the technical director of Bridgestone, does not hide his joy at this turnaround: while he loudly proclaims that he cannot equip more motorcycles. next year, the Japanese manufacturer would have said "very happy"to learn that Rossi wants to use his tires !

A first affront that the impetuous Jorge Lorenzo will surely not let pass … Stay tuned !

Alexandre BARDIN – Photos DR

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