The start of Jorge Lorenzo’s Repsol Honda career has been pretty dismal. In three races, he has yet to finish in the top 10 and suffered a mechanical DNF at the last round at COTA. Both injuries and bad luck have played their part, but Lorenzo is nearing 100% health, and returns to one of his favorite tracks this weekend.
Lorenzo has 3 wins and 8 podiums at Jerez in the premier class, with his last victory coming in 2015 for Yamaha. He feels that Jerez is a track that favors his style. In November of last year, during one of his first stints aboard his new Honda, Lorenzo recorded the fifth quickest time at the official Jerez MotoGP test.
With teammate Marc Marquez crashing out of the lead at COTA, a win this weekend for Lorenzo could dramatically impact his status in the Repsol garage. Stay tuned for race coverage here on MD.
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Jorge has long been one of my favorite MotoGP riders. He rides clean, speaks clean, and works hard. Like a few of the others here, I cringed at some of his victory celebration antics. It will be fun to watch now that he is over his injuries. I have a great deal of respect for both Lorenzo & Marquez, and look forward to many great races this year.
During Jorge’s winning years, I couldn’t stand him. His ability to get out in front and just turn clean laps, and make no mistakes, garnered no respect from me. The 2015 Championship was a tragedy for us Rossi fans. I wanted anyone but JL to win. Then something happened to me with his time at Ducati. I started to root for the guy. Not because of Ducati but as an empath. I felt bad for the guy. His wins in 2018 were well deserved and I was happy for him to reach the top of the podium. Yes, I would like to see him fight with Marc up front. I hope he heals up and finds a setup on the Honda for his style. He is not a media sensation like most of the riders but I am now rooting for the guy.
Like you, I never enjoyed the dominance, but I respected the skill. What put me off was the over the top, corny victory celebrations.
The sport is better than ever now. Racing is closer and while the same guys are on top, they’re not lapping everyone up to 5th place and it’s possible for many different riders to win now. I hope JL gets back to form, too. He showed some top-level speed on the Honda in early tests. It’d do Maq
It’d do Maq some good to have a team-mate that was competitive with him and that’s the situation Jorge has been in his whole career.
I’m like you Dave, Lorenzo’s skill is unquestionable, but his after wins celebrations were always ridiculous to me.
Marquez is starting to celebrate a little to much to suit me. The big video game, the floss dance while coming down the finish line straight. C’mon man, you are a 7 time Champion. Show some class. Act like you have been there before.
I would not be surprised if they were told to be more expressive. Dorna surely polls viewers for their opinions on entertainment value and motorsport lacks the human element that field sports have because you can’t really see the person racing as much. Still, corny…
That wouldn’t suprise me actually.
And for the record, I’m not of fan of the ridiculous end zone celebrations in professional football either.
A new carbon fiber swing arm is something that may be investigated, as a reason the chain is coming off?
anyone know if his dnf in qualifying, at COTA, was indeed the rear chain that came off?
I predict 6th for #99
I’m in at fourth for JL.
And 2nd for #46.
I miss the MotoGP league this year.