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.
How Tata Communications is revolutionising live sport
Gibernau: Jerez ’05 Rossi clash set bad precedent in MotoGP
Why Honda and Yamaha have been left behind in MotoGP's new era
OPINION: The once all-conquering Japanese manufacturers are going through a difficult period in MotoGP this season. With Suzuki quitting, Honda struggling to get near the podium and Yamaha only enjoying success courtesy of Fabio Quartararo, Japanese manufacturers have been left in the dust by their European counterparts. This is why.
How in-form Quartararo is evoking Marquez in MotoGP 2022
OPINION: Fabio Quartararo has seized control of the 2022 MotoGP world standings after another dominant victory as his nearest rivals faltered. And he is very much heading towards a second championship echoing how the dominator of the last decade achieved much of his success.
Why Marquez's surgery is about more than just chasing on-track success
OPINION: Marc Marquez will likely sit out the remainder of the 2022 MotoGP season to undergo a fourth major operation on the right arm he badly broke in 2020. It is hoped it will return him to his brilliant best after a tough start to the season without a podium to his name. But it’s the human victory that will far outweigh any future on-track success he may go on to have
Why Ducati holds all the power in its MotoGP rider dilemma
OPINION: The French Grand Prix looks to have made Ducati’s decision on its factory team line-up simpler, as Enea Bastianini stormed to his third win of the campaign and Jorge Martin crashed out for a fifth time in 2022. But, as Ducati suggests to Motorsport.com, it remains in the strongest position in a wild rider market
The seismic aftershock of Suzuki's decision to leave MotoGP
Suzuki's sudden decision to leave the MotoGP World Championship at the end of the season has acted as a stirring element in a market that had already erupted. We analyse what this means for the grid going into 2023
How the real Ducati began to emerge in MotoGP's Spanish GP
Ducati’s 2022 MotoGP bike has had a tough start to life and the expected early-season title charge from Francesco Bagnaia did not materialise. But the Spanish Grand Prix signalled a turning point for both the GP22 and Bagnaia, as the 2021 runner-up belatedly got his season underway after a straight fight with Fabio Quartararo
How praise for Honda's MotoGP bike has given way to doubt
In a little over two months, Honda has gone from setting the pace in MotoGP testing with its new RC213V prototype to being at a crossroads - caused by the discrepancy in its riders' feedback. After a Portuguese GP that underwhelmed, serious questions are now being asked of Honda in 2022
Why Quartararo's win was vital not only for his title hopes
Fabio Quartararo got his MotoGP title defence off the ground in the Portuguese Grand Prix as a dominant first win of 2022 rocketed him to the top of the standings. While a significant result in terms of his title hopes, it has come at an even more important time in terms of his 2023 contract negotiations