Today’s MotoGP is exciting from Jorge Lorenzo’s point of view, but something is missing – How he sees the title fight and Marc Marquez’s chances in 2025
MotoGP has seen some exciting title duels in its history. The rivalry was not always just on the track. Occasionally, the competitors were also enemies off the track. But with Francesco Bagnaia and Jorge Martin, there is no question of that.
The two opponents themselves emphasize that respect is the most important thing between them and that they don’t have to be enemies to fight each other in the race.
Ex-MotoGP rider Jorge Lorenzo sees this as a major difference compared to his time as an active rider: “Nowadays, all the drivers are almost like brothers, but the fans want rivalry, two drivers who hate each other in a sporting sense,” he says in an interview with GPOne.com.
Too much cuddling in MotoGP?
The Spaniard himself has often experienced this dynamic, especially during his intense rivalry with Valentino Rossi, which electrified MotoGP fans worldwide. Lorenzo emphasizes that this kind of competition livens up the show on the track.
While he is enthusiastic about the current level of competition in MotoGP and finds the racing series itself exciting, because the challenges are so demanding and the competition is very strong. But without arch-enemies like in the past, the spice is missing.
He would also like to see technical changes: “If the bikes did more wheelies and less aerodynamics, it would be even more spectacular,” he says.
Looking ahead to the 2024 MotoGP season and the title fight between Martin and Bagnaia, the five-time world champion shows understanding for the mistakes both riders made “because the level was so high and the pressure was immense”.
But he rates Martin as more consistent overall. “This championship will ultimately be decided by the sprints, because Jorge was able to catch up more than Pecco. Last year, Martin might have had more speed than Bagnaia, but he made some crucial mistakes like in Indonesia,” Lorenzo analyzes.
“This year, however, he was able to ride consistently, and that made all the difference.” That’s why Martin goes into the final with a 24-point lead.
Lorenzo: Injury limits Marquez
When asked about Marc Marquez, who is currently in third place in the World Championship and will take over from Martin in the Ducati factory team from 2025, Lorenzo says: “I expected him to do well, even though his bike is inferior to the GP24.”
“With the same bike as Bagnaia, he will be stronger, but it won’t be a walk in the park for Marc. It will be difficult for both of them to win, and we will also see what the other manufacturers do,” he says, looking ahead to the 2025 season.
The Spaniard, who shared a garage with Marquez as a Honda teammate in 2019, knows that the six-time MotoGP champion has not been the same since his injury.
“The injury in Jerez gave him a physical handicap that still affects him today. You can see the limitations of his right arm when braking. This means that he has to find more balance with his body to struggle less and all of this takes away some of his comfort.“
”I’m not saying that he won’t win the title,” emphasizes Lorenzo, ‘but he has one more limitation compared to four years ago,’ he notes.
At the same time, he now sees a “more conscious Marquez”. While the Spaniard used to be more carefree and not afraid of crashes, he thinks more about them today. “So we’ll see if his head or his physical condition will make the difference,” Lorenzo concludes.