Lorenzo wouldn't be “short of offers” for MotoGP comeback
Jorge Lorenzo believes he will “not be short of offers” if he were to stage a full-time MotoGP comeback in the future, having retired at the end of the 2019 season.
The three-time MotoGP world champion hung up his leathers at the end of last year following a bruising sole season aboard the factory Honda.
In the winter, Lorenzo signed a deal with Yamaha – with whom he spent nine year and won all of his premier class titles – to become its official test rider, and is scheduled to make a one-off race return at the Catalan Grand Prix in June as a wildcard.
Numerous riders have questioned Lorenzo’s decision to contest a wildcard with Yamaha, while some – including KTM’s Pol Espargaro and former Honda teammate Marc Marquez – have said they believe retiring was a means to simply get away from Honda.
Commenting on this in an interview with Radio Catalunya while on lockdown in Dubai due to the coronavirus pandemic, Lorenzo said: “I have always said that the first intention was for the decision [to retire] to be final. But it can never be said that I will not drink from this water again.
“I was convinced, I had a long and successful career, but I also hurt myself a lot. Economically I have been fortunate to be able to save money and I can make the most of life doing other things.
“I feel like enjoying life and doing other things, but I am also lucky to be able to ride a MotoGP bike 16 or 18 days a year [as a test rider] and take the good from this profession and save myself from the bad. I think I have the perfect job right now.”
He added: “There are many opinions and you have to respect what everyone thinks. If in this case Pol believes this and says it with respect, I understand it.
“Personally, I think that if I wanted to compete again, I would not be short of offers. But right now it is not the case and I am fine as I am.”
Lorenzo has so far ridden the Yamaha for two days, during February’s Sepang shakedown and official Sepang test – albeit only using the 2019-spec M1.
Previous article
How Tata Communications is revolutionising live sport
Next article
Gibernau: Jerez ’05 Rossi clash set bad precedent in MotoGP
About this article
| Series | MotoGP |
| Drivers | Jorge Lorenzo |
| Author | Lewis Duncan |
How Jerez underlined MotoGP's speed problem
The brutal nature of a series of crashes at Jerez has reopened the debate about whether current MotoGP speeds are beyond the safety limits of the tracks. But even if riders are supportive of the move, getting the manufacturers to find a consensus on how speed reductions should be achieved may be altogether harder
How a Crutchlow helped Miller to Jerez MotoGP redemption
Jack Miller’s tough start to life as a factory Ducati MotoGP rider left him mentally battered and bruised, but a pep talk and positive reinforcement from a surprising source aided the Australian to show his full potential with victory at the Spanish Grand Prix
What does Marc Marquez have to do to get back to his best?
Following his resounding MotoGP return with a seventh place finish in Portugal, Marc Marquez now must work to rediscover his best form before turning his attention towards results-based targets
How Yamaha's rookie-spec MotoGP star is taking charge
Fabio Quartararo is on a roll in 2021 after storming to victory at a venue five months earlier served up one of his worst races. Contrasting Portuguese GPs for Yamaha's factory duo make it hard to understand just how good its 2021 MotoGP bike is, but the Portimao weekend did at least expose one key improvement compared to 2020
The hurdles Marquez faces next in his Portugal MotoGP return
Even by Marc Marquez’s own high standards, his MotoGP comeback on Friday at the Portuguese Grand Prix will be considered a success even if he didn’t top the times. But having shown competitive pace on his first day back, both Marquez and his rivals know plenty more challenges are to come...
Where does Espargaro sit ahead of Marquez's return?
Pol Espargaro’s first results as a Honda MotoGP rider may not appear special. But dig a little deeper and a clearer picture of his performance emerges. And, as Lewis Duncan writes, it’s cause for celebration at Honda with the return of Marc Marquez set to provide Espargaro with the reference he has been missing so far this year
The "pit bull" MotoGP rookie already drawing legendary comparisons
MotoGP’s 2021 rookie crop is one of the strongest in recent years, but one is already standing out. Jorge Martin’s Doha GP heroics have courted many to compare him to numerous MotoGP legends. Autosport spoke to Pramac boss Francesco Guidotti to find out why MotoGP’s latest Spanish star is already making such an impact
Why MotoGP's stewards must revisit Miller and Mir's Losail clash
Despite Suzuki’s decision not to appeal against Race Direction’s refusal to penalise Jack Miller following the incident with Joan Mir in Losail, something must be done to avoid a repeat of such an incident, which could have easily ended in tragedy
