Ducati will have Marc Márquez on their roster for the MotoGP in 2024, lining up at the satellite team Gresini with this year’s bike. Despite seeming ideal to have such a strong rider as the six-time champion of the premier class, according to Jorge Lorenzo, not everyone wanted him aboard a Desmosedici GP.

Quoted by the website Motosan.es, the former rider spoke about some disagreement within Ducati’s leadership regarding Marc Márquez’s arrival: ‘Having Marc join is good news for Ducati because they get the best rider at no cost. But this is also a problem because not all Ducati leaders wanted Marc’.

Lorenzo explained two concerning factors: ‘Gigi [Dall’Igna, general manager] certainly wanted him because he always aims for the strongest riders. However, there are two worrying aspects: the first is losing Marc after only a year, as he would take with him all the knowledge he gained. The second is that he might beat [Jorge] Martín and [Francesco] Bagnaia. I think he will win many races next year. I’m not sure if he can fight for the title, but if I had to bet, I would bet on him’.

O conteúdo Ducati wasn’t unanimouis about Marc Márquez, reveals Jorge Lorenzo: ‘There are two worrying aspects’ aparece primeiro em Motorcycle Sports.

Jorge Lorenzo will be one of the millions of fans closely following the last two races of the MotoGP World Championship, and between the two possible winners, he’ll support… compatriot Jorge Martín (Prima Pramac/Ducati), despite acknowledging Francesco Bagnaia’s (Ducati) significant favoritism.

The former MotoGP rider told the Spanish press: ‘Before the race in Malaysia, I would have said Martín, but now things have become very complicated. I would like Jorge Martín to win, but I believe Pecco will handle it very well and will take the title’.

The Italian Ducati rider holds a 14-point advantage over the Spaniard with two rounds remaining.

O conteúdo Pecco or Martinator: who will Jorge Lorenzo support? aparece primeiro em Motorcycle Sports.

Andrea Dovizioso was the face of Ducati in the MotoGP world championship for many years, and in three years in particular he had an opponent who prevented him from winning the world championship, none other than Marc Marquez. Very aware of the reality of MotoGP, the italian believes that Pecco Bagnaia won’t have to look at the spaniard, who will also have a Desmosedici at his disposal.

Runner-up three times in a row, from 2017 to 2019, and having seen his title slip away in the face of Marquez’s superiority, Dovizioso assured that the reigning world champion only has himself to worry about, as he explained to GPOne: ‘Bagnaia won’t have to give Marquez any importance. He’ll only have to think about himself, because if you try to copy these great champions, what happens is that you get lost’.

To explain himself, he turned to Jorge Lorenzo and how the spaniard thought from the start that he would be very successful: ‘In a way, it’s a bit like what happened in Lorenzo’s time. Jorge came to Ducati and thought he was going to beat everything, but in the end he didn’t. We’ll see. We’ll see. I’m very curious’.

O conteúdo Andrea Dovizioso recalls Lorenzo to talk about Marquez at Ducati: ‘When Lorenzo arrived he thought he was going to beat everything…’ aparece primeiro em Motorcycle Sports.

When Jorge Lorenzo entered MotoGP, he joined Yamaha with Valentino Rossi as his teammate, a situation that didn’t sit well with the Italian. The two had some animosity while sharing the garage, but those divisions are now in the past.

In the show Mary’s Place, the three-time world champion revealed Il Dottore’s resistance to his entry into Yamaha: ‘In my early days at Yamaha, Valentino Rossi was at the peak of his career, and they didn’t want a young rider alongside him. He did everything possible to prevent it, creating obstacles and challenges’.

According to Lorenzo, his relationship with Rossi evolved positively when they were no longer teammates: ‘Afterward, when he went to Ducati or when I left, things got better between us. But as teammates, we had a relationship bordering on enmity, both wanting to beat the other. Then, when one of us retired, the relationship changed completely. Now, we get along well and cordially. To me, he is a great champion, a very intelligent person with a high charisma’.

O conteúdo ‘Valentino Rossi did everything possible to prevent me from joining Yamaha’ – Jorge Lorenzo aparece primeiro em Motorcycle Sports.

Former MotoGP rider, Jorge Lorenzo, recently sat down for an interview with La Gazzetta dello Sport, where he touched upon various hot topics in the MotoGP world, including Marc Márquez’s decision and the tight race for this season’s championship.

Starting off, Lorenzo discussed Jorge Martín’s mistake during the last Indonesian Grand Prix, attributing it to overconfidence. “The error was a result of being overly confident. It’s a valuable lesson for him,” he remarked. “He had the victory in his grasp; I don’t think Bagnaia could have beaten him. Bagnaia is more composed during crucial moments and is excellent at managing situations.”

Currently, Jorge Martín trails Pecco Bagnaia by 18 points, with Bagnaia leading the championship since the Indonesian race. “Bagnaia is under immense pressure. Martín will continue to be strong; he’s in top form and has significantly improved his riding style. Last Sunday, Bagnaia won, but it was Martín who lost. That race was his to win. You can’t give a rider like Pecco such an opportunity. With an 18-point difference now, the ball is back in his court. I won’t be hypocritical; as a Spaniard, I’d love for Jorge Martín to win in Phillid Island. We’re friends; he’s been to my house, and I’ve tried to give him advice in the past. My heart is with Martín,” Lorenzo expressed.

Given Martín’s recent performance in the Grand Prix events, it’s no surprise that he’s quickly closing in on the Italian, aiming to snatch the leadership from him. Martín, a rider for Prima Pramac Racing, believes he’s the fastest on the grid and will leverage this belief to challenge Pecco.

Reflecting on his time with Ducati, Lorenzo admitted that it wasn’t the best phase. “If I had raced with a Desmosedici in 2017, perhaps I’d still be racing,” he mused, indicating that the current version of the bike is far superior to what he had.

Lorenzo also shared his insights on Marc Márquez’s switch for the 2024 season. “It was fairly evident to me. He always seemed uncertain in his statements. He made a choice based on his happiness and the desire to feel competitive again. Even if you’re Marc Márquez, in sports, what you did last season matters. He sacrificed money, the team, and his loyalty to Honda. But from a sports perspective, it’s a good choice. He’ll be much stronger with Ducati. If he starts winning, Dall’Igna might consider dressing him in red,” Lorenzo revealed.

Lastly, Lorenzo didn’t hold back when discussing Yamaha and Fabio Quartararo’s situation. “He’ll be one of the great talents without a winning bike in 2024,” he stated.

O conteúdo Jorge Lorenzo Speaks on Márquez’s Shift to Ducati: “If He Starts Winning, Dall’Igna Might Consider Dressing Him in Red” aparece primeiro em Motorcycle Sports.

Marc Márquez will represent Gresini Racing in the next MotoGP World Championship season, and he will have the opportunity to ride a Ducati. Jorge Lorenzo believes that his former teammate will once again stand out in 2024.

The former rider told DAZN that the current situation for #93 was unsustainable: ‘He couldn’t bear another year like this; he was so burned out, so to say, with the situation, with having to risk it every weekend, those crashes, that bad feeling, that he preferred to leave Honda. It would have been nice to at least finish this contract with a factory that always supported him, but it couldn’t be’.

Regarding 2024, Lorenzo believes that Márquez will be the best rider with the best bike: ‘We will see a very exciting championship next year, with a super rider, who, in my opinion, is still the best, with the best bike’.

O conteúdo Jorge Lorenzo and Marc Márquez’s move to Gresini: ‘We will see the best rider with the best bike’ aparece primeiro em Motorcycle Sports.

Marc Márquez’s departure from Honda and his official signing with the Gresini Racing Team has generated a whirlwind of reactions and comments in the motorcycling world. Spanish former rider, Jorge Lorenzo, a three-time MotoGP champion and once a teammate of Marc Márquez, shared his insights on DAZN with Ernest Riveras.

Having been intimately familiar with the Japanese brand, Lorenzo discussed the rumored clause that would penalize Márquez for leaving Honda before the end of his contract. “I believe they allowed it. Honda has been very lenient in this regard. I’m not privy to the specifics of their agreement and whether money was involved, but I think not,” he stated. Lorenzo continued to praise Honda for their treatment of Márquez, saying, “Honda has treated Marc very well, allowing him certain liberties they could have easily denied.”

However, Lorenzo also empathized with Márquez’s perspective, understanding his desire to continue competing at the highest level. “Marc made a decision for himself. He prioritized results, happiness, and competitiveness on the track over money, comfort, and loyalty to Honda.” Márquez’s 11-year tenure with Honda yielded him 6 world championships, 59 victories, 101 podium finishes, and 64 pole positions.

The burning question now is whether Ducati will be Márquez’s ultimate destination or if he might leap to KTM in the future. Lorenzo weighed in on this speculation, saying, “Marc has chosen to take a position of greater influence, aiming to start winning races again and to have more say in his 2025 decisions, rather than spending another year with Honda.”

The motorcycling community will be keenly watching Márquez’s next moves, and his decision will undoubtedly shape the dynamics of the MotoGP landscape in the coming years.

O conteúdo Jorge Lorenzo on Marc Márquez’s Decision: Prioritizing Racing Success Over Monetary Comfort and Loyalty to Honda aparece primeiro em Motorcycle Sports.

Be careful with Marc Marquez. In the opinion of Jorge Lorenzo, who has won three MotoGP World Champiosnhips, his compatriot is the main contender to win the title in 2024, when it seems he will be racing in the colours of Gresini Racing.

‘I don’t rule out the possibility of Marc winning the MotoGP World Championship. That is, of course, if Ducati gives him a bike that is competitive, like the ones Bagnaia and Bastianini have. I don’t rule it out because we’ve seen what Alex Marquez can do, he’s an excellent rider, a world champion in Moto3 and Moto2. Maybe he doesn’t have the aggression or the natural talent of his brother’ said the spaniard, who rode with Marc in 2019 for Honda, in a statement to DAZN, before adding:

– Marc can race a tenth and a second faster than his brother Alex. And I think that will be visible when they’re both on the Ducati.

After 11 years with Honda, the expectation is to see how Marquez will adapt to a new reality.

‘We’ll see if he can adapt quickly or if it will cost him a little more. But if he adapts quickly and has a bike similar to that of [Enea] Bastianini and [Pecco] Bagnaia, I wouldn’t rule out the possibility of him winning the World Championship in his first season. We’ve seen similar cases in the past. In my opinion, Marc is still the best, both physically and mentally. I won’t take him out of the fight for the title’ said Jorge Lorenzo.

2023 is in full swing and next season looks like it won’t be far behind at least for now…

O conteúdo ‘Marc Marquez is still the best’ – Jorge Lorenzo aparece primeiro em Motorcycle Sports.

Brad Binder made history on Friday in Motegi, setting a new all-time lap record at the track that hosts the MotoGP Japanese GP.

Eight years later, the previous record set by Jorge Lorenzo was finally beaten. To achieve this, the Red Bull KTM rider clocked a time of 1m43.784s.

Until the end of the session, not only Binder but also Francesco Bagnaia (Ducati) and Aleix Espargaró (Aprilia) improved even more their times, with all three being faster than Motegi’s previous lap record. The new one is 1m43.489s, by Binder.

Here’s the moment when Binder surpassed Lorenzo’s record.

O conteúdo Video: The moment Brad Binder broke Jorge Lorenzo’s record in Motegi eight years later aparece primeiro em Motorcycle Sports.