Cycle News is a weekly magazine that covers all aspects of motorcycling including Supercross, Motocross and MotoGP as well as new motorcycles
Issue link: https://magazine.cyclenews.com/i/677616
FEATURE JORGE LORENZO'S BIG ADVENTURE P94 spoke glowingly of Jorge's "genius" ability, having worked closely with him in 125 and when he twice won the 250 crown for Aprilia. "He has some special char- acteristics, and I know these very well be- cause I worked with him for a long time. I think that the bike at the moment can give what Jorge needs to be fast on the racetrack. We will have to adapt the bike a little for his riding style, but also I'm sure that he can ride the bike in the proper way. Because he is a real genius." Should this come to pass, it will mean more than the usual to Ducati. The rewards of success are obvious—summed up as sponsorship and sales. For the Italian company, it will also mean redemption for an army of fans whose loy- alty had been sorely tested. But can Jorge do the job? Is the Desmosedici enough to let him repeat his start-to- checker race wins that have become his Yamaha trade- mark? The answer to that is why we are all agog. But there's no reason why not, provided all the elements can be put in place. Many details are still unclear: notably wheth- er Lorenzo will take his crew chief Ramon Forcada and any of his crew with him. On the other hand, if he can work directly with Dall'Igna, as in the past, this might not be an issue. The question of riding technique is more complex. When things go right, Loren- zo is often unbeatable. But he is sometimes criticized for a lack of adaptability. Changing race conditions, rain, an underperforming tire—these and other things can slow him down, while riders like Rossi and Mar- quez can often find a way around problems. Jorge's strong point is midcorner speed, which is in turn what the Yamaha has evolved to do best. This year's Ducati, according to Dovizioso, is good at turning when the tires are fresh— pretty good at everything, in fact. But the Duke burns the rubber, one way or another, and its abilities tend to de- cline through the race. Can Jorge (and Dall'Igna) find a way to improve this? Success will be all down to how quickly Jorge can gel with the Ducati's quirks, and whether he can iron them out. The move is indeed, as he said, "a risky decision. But a calculated risky deci- sion. CN LORENZO: THE STORY SO FAR Jorge Lorenzo's progress from maverick mayhem maker to grand prix elder statesmen has not only encompassed 62 wins so far in all classes, two 250 titles and three MotoGP, where at Jerez he clocked up his 100th podium. It has also demonstrated an ability to learn, and great application to the task. This goes back much further than his 125 debut the day he turned 15 (halfway through practice) at Jerez in 2002. Jorge's father and erstwhile manager Chicho had been school- ing him from his earliest youth in every aspect of becoming World Champion, including how to handle post-race interviews. The teenage Lorenzo was a one-man on-track tearaway, however – fast, but much feared for his aggressive tactics. In 2005, his first year in the 250 class, he was given a one-race suspension after barging another rider into the barrier once too often. "I learned from that," he has said repeat- edly. Usually when calling for more severe penalties for other riders for sundry rough tactics. Like the time Marquez collided with him to steal second at the last hairpin at Jerez in 2013. Lorenzo's outward demeanor is ice calm. He deflects difficult questions, and retains most of a rather Spanish sort of dignity, prac- ticed on a high horse. His riding style is similar: looking reserved even at lap-record pace. Because there is one more thing: he is really, really fast. Butter wouldn't melt, or would it? Lorenzo gets ready for his GP debut, aged 15 at Jerez, 2002.