With 68 GP wins and 5 World championships, Jorge Lorenzo’s “retirement” from Repsol Honda last year led to a big splash when he announced that he had become employed as a Yamaha MotoGP test rider. In addition to testing duties, it was expected that Lorenzo would race in multiple wild cards, but the Covid-19 pandemic ended that prospect and reduced his testing duties.
At the most recent MotoGP test, one could only describe Lorenzo as slow and out of shape. When factory rider Valentino Rossi caught the Covid-19 virus and was forced to miss the two recent Aragón races, Yamaha did not slot Lorenzo in as a replacement.
Now it is being reported by SpeedWeek.com that Lorenzo is in advanced negotiations with Aprilia to take over the test rider duties previously performed by Bradley Smith next year.
At the same time, rumors are swirling that Yamaha is talking to Andrea Dovizioso about a test rider role for 2021. Dovizioso is ending his relationship with Ducati this year.
MD will provide follow-up reporting on Lorenzo and Dovizioso if we receive official confirmation regarding either rider’s moves for 2021.
Dovi is a much better test and development rider than Lorenzo. I’m not taking anything away from Lorenzo it’s just what Dovi has been doing his whole time at Ducati.
Who would have guessed that the grid at GP races would have so much European equipment ten years ago?
Don’t ever count Lorenzo out. He is capable of a comeback if motivated by a machine and a team.
When they fixed the Ducati to fit him he won races where before was no where near competitive. he can be stirred to a full competitive nature again.
Top Ex Gp riders battling for testing roles!
They should have a testers series.
Aprilia needs reliability, too many DNFs. You can’t win if you don’t finish.
I’d prefer Dovi for my test squad.
And Apilia needs more help than Lorenzo can provide. It already seems to handle pretty well, just needs more motor.
Dovi tests for one year, then takes Vale’s seat at Petronas when he (gasp!) retires? 🤔
I don’t know why anyone is talking to Lorenzo. He’s already checked out and had very particular needs when he was committed.
If they can stroke the cheques, they should get that platform the power it needs and give a seat to Dovi.
I can’t see how another test rider can’t fix the problems Yamaha seems to have. They’re having engineering issues.
I agree Lorenzo seems kind of washed up, yet still quite impressed with himself regardless.
Like Mickey, I would think Dovi would be much more valuable as a test rider. Lorenzo won on the Yamaha by getting out in front quickly and then riding Yamaha race lines. That is the only way wins have come to Yamaha this year, as well, so it seems Lorenzo’s experience is redundant. Dovi in contrast has experience making a very different package go fast. That’s The kind of contrasting input I would want.
Dovi has experience with absolute rocket ships outpowering less powerful motorcycles. I’m sure his input to Aprilia, the maker of the slowest, least powerful bike in the paddock, would go over like a wet fart in an elevator…
“Guys, your bike is slow. I mean, really slow. As in, wow, are-you-guys-serious-with-this-thing slow. This dog needs to be much faster on top, out of the corners, pretty much everywhere.
“Faster. More motor. Make sure it still turns well, but it needs to be waaaaay faster. That’s my recommendation. Oh, and it needs to be reliable too, and it must be able to slide the rear smoothly under heavy braking.
“Sorted. Now, where’s my money?”