MotoGP, Lorenzo: “Vinales leaving Yamaha? A desperate decision”

Now a MotoGP paddock outsider, Jorge Lorenzo doesn’t hold back when asked about his former colleagues. And now, in an interview with Sky Sport MotoGP, he analyses two important situations – Maverick Vinales’s departure from Yamaha and the question mark that hangs over Valentino Rossi’s future.

 A new life of travel and good food

But first he talks about his new life: “I have to say that I miss a lot of people from the paddock as I’d developed friendships over the years. But I also miss the victories, winning is an amazing feeling, and oncce you experience it you want it again and again. But now I’m experiencing a sort of second youth, I travel a lot, do what I want and visit places where I can eat well, although I have to watch my figure”.

Jorge also had the time to be able to enjoy the Euro 2020 football games, supporting Spain of course but without forgetting Italy, a country close to his heart: “I was sorry that Spain lost to Italy of course, but at the same time I feel a little Italian having spent so many years of my life there so I’m pleased about the win, you guys deserve it!”

 “Vinales – Yamaha? No one expected him to leave”

Lorenzo then considers the current MotoGP season: “With Marc Marquez out of action for more than a year, it was a rather strange 2020 season, but in the end Quartararo was able to mature and is stronger than he was last season, the clear favourite for the title now. I’m sure that Marquez will gradually get stronger again”.

As for Vinales' decision to leave the Iwata manufacturer at the end of the 2021 season: “We all knew that the Yamaha-Vinales relationship wasn’t easy but no one expected him to leave. Vinales has been affected by Quartararo’s speed, the Frenchman almost always stronger than him. That isn’t easy. For a guy with so much potential, the fact he hasn’t been able to win a title after five years with Yamaha has led him to desperately seek out another path. Aprilia has clearly improved, but we don’t know that he’ll go there, he might go to Suzuki or even Ducati. We’ll have to see”.

“I bet Rossi retires at the end of the season”

Jorge is then asked about Valentino Rossi and the decision regarding his future: “Anything can happen, but if I had to bet, I’d say that this is Valentino’s last season. But he might surprise us. Might he test the Ducati of his new VR46 team? I don’t know, but the decision to have a team is a very good one”.

Translated by Heather Watson

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