Photography By Andrea Wilson
What a difference a day makes. Yesterday Jorge Lorenzo was on pole and celebrating the fact that the Circuit of Jerez had named a corner after him. Today the defending World Champion lost second place to Marc Marquez with the two making contact in… Lorenzo Corner.
So how does it feel to have the new kid shove it up the inside, make contact and take the position away from you in a corner named in your honor? Well one can only guess because Lorenzo was not going to talk about it today at the press conference following the MotoGP race in Jerez.
“I don’t gain anything to say something now,” Lorenzo said. “I’m warm after losing the second place in the last corner so it’s better not to say anything here because I don’t gain anything.”
Marquez acknowledged that Lorenzo was upset as any rider would be, but he didn’t think it was anything other than a racing incident.
“I saw him [Lorenzo] open up a little bit the door and just I go in,” Marquez said. “In the past many accidents were quite similar. So for me it was just a race and I try to do my 110-percent. Like I say, if somebody make to me [the same pass] surely I’d be angry now, but not for the action but because I lose one position.”
Marquez was asked if it had been his teammate Dani Pedrosa rather than Lorenzo if he would’ve made the same move.
“I don’t think so because I saw that he [Pedrosa] was always strong there,” Marquez explained. “All the weekend I was struggling there because he [Pedrosa] was braking so hard. He did a little bit more tight lines. Dani was stronger there than me during the weekend, so I think I wouldn’t even try.”
To get another opinion, Dani Pedrosa was asked what he thought about the incident. Pedrosa pointed to his eyes and waved his hands. “No see,” Pedrosa said simply.
Then the incident between Valentino Rossi and Sete Gibernau in the same corner in 2005 was brought up as a reference for Pedrosa to share his thoughts on.
“Yeah, I have to see their action [Lorenzo/Marquez clash], but obviously it’s last corner and it’s a fight for second place,” Pedrosa said.
Pedrosa then pointed out that he had a similar incident with Lorenzo [2010] and that it is the nature of that corner.
“When you win the position it’s ‘yes I know it’s on the limit, but I win’ and on the other side it’s, ‘shit I lost,’ ” Pedrosa said. “It’s not so nice. But I guess both riders know and also myself and just keep on going. But, obviously, the good thing is that nobody fall. It wasn’t really a maybe on purpose to touch, but these things happen sometime in racing.”
The subject of the new rule regarding point penalties for on-track incidents was brought up and whether or not Lorenzo thought that this was a test case for race direction to investigate.
“I think they will make the decision to work on it or just to don’t work,” Lorenzo responded.
Getting weary of the barrage of questions related to the incident, Lorenzo started to share his frustration.
“Now a lot of questions for me and when I win in Qatar any questions – no,” Lorenzo said. “This is bit strange.”
hat didn’t stop a few more questions on the matter. “I don’t say anything,” was Lorenzo’s repeated response.
He was, however, willing to comment on whether it would change the previously good relationship between him and Marquez.
“Nah, I don’t think it matters so much at this moment,” Lorenzo responded.
“I hope not,” was Marquez’ response.
