MotoGP: Lorenzo will not go quietly!

Jorge Lorenzo is the reigning MotoGP World Champion. Jorge Lorenzo, a few years ago, was forced to operate hidden in the shadow of his celebrity teammate, Valentino ‘The Doctor’ Rossi. Rossi at the time could do no wrong aboard the Yamaha and with each twist of the throttle, he would crush the field which included his teammate, into submission. Rossi hauled in World Championships with Yamaha in 2008 and 2009.

In 2010, Lorenzo found favor with the MotoGP gods. Misfortune visited Rossi, Lorenzo seized the moment and exited his teamate’s shadow. He won the championship in 2010. Yamaha’s stranglehold on the championship was attacked and defeated by arguably the best rider to have ever ridden a MotoGP machine, Repsol Honda’s Casey Stoner. But having sipped the World Championship brew, Lorenzo remained motivated. He redoubled his effort and regained what he will argue was rightfully his. He won again in 2012, which brings us to the current fracas.

Casey Stoner

Casey Stoner left us all clutching a bag of tears when he left the MotoGP grid at the end of the 2012 season. Fortunately, we were not allowed to mourn his untimely departure because as his leathers entered the closet, Marc Marquez entered the living room. To say his entry was sensational would be understating his accomplishment thus far. Marc Marquez has claimed a ton-load of firsts for a rookie MotoGP rider and the other riders on the grid are simply blown from his path as he moves to the front of each race.

Lorenzo was possibly unprepared for Marquez’s entry into MotoGP or he was not aware of the young Spaniard’s repertoire of skills. By the time he recovered he was trailing his junior in the World Championship standing. But Lorenzo did not become World Champion by error, he rode and earned his title. And like any champion worth his leathers he was willing to fight to keep the silverware and respect.

Lorenzo

Lorenzo, in recent times, thanks to his unquestioned consistency and mistakes by both Marquez and his team, has made it abundantly clear that he will not go into the – Former Champion – booth quietly. Riding on the back of a victory at the Phillip Island GP, Lorenzo entered Honda’s den at Motegi fully aware of the fact that Marquez could clinch the championship. Lorenzo would have none of it! He rode a champion’s race and taught the rookie and his teamate, Pedrosa, an important lesson – it is not over until the fat lady sings!

MotoGP – Japan 2013

Lorenzo’s victory in Motegi will force a final battle to decide the championship. We could not have asked for a more exhilarating season. Marquez now leads the championship with 13 points and if it was not intriguing enough, add this – the championship will be decided between 2 combatants, who are both Spaniards, in Valencia, Spain.

Think about this as well – of the 17 rounds raced thus far, Marquez has been on the podium 15 times – he has finished first, 6 times, second, 6 times and 3rd, three times! His MotoGP statistics has only one row with a zero (0) in it – World Championship wins. But that might change on November 10th in Valencia!

Cecil Munroe Gleaner On-Line Writer