MotoGP rookie sensation Jorge Lorenzo (Yamaha) started this year off with a bang. Quickly accumulating a total of four podiums and three pole positions, Lorenzo appeared to be a real contender for a title in his debut year in MotoGP. Then he started crashing.
Injuries to his ankles, and what appeared to be a serious concussion, resulted from multiple crashes that not only damaged his body, but his confidence, as well. Lorenzo has not been the same rider since, and yet another crash in Germany last weekend (this time, thankfully, without injury) didn’t help.
Now Lorenzo faces a new test. He will race at Laguna Seca for the first time next weekend. A new track is always difficult, but certainly more so when recent crashes have robbed you of your self confidence, and, perhaps, the lingering effects of a heavy concussion just a few weeks ago affect your ability to concentrate.
