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Perhaps no rider in MotoGP holds himself to a higher standard than Jorge Lorenzo – I believe he regards any season in which he doesn’t find himself crowned as champion to be a failure. So I also believe he will fight to the last, or at least until he is mathematically eliminated from contention.

After three races in the 2015 season, Lorenzo is 29 points behind the title leader, Movistar Yamaha teammate Valentino Rossi. He is a point ahead of Marc Marquez. In Lorenzo’s mind, a third premier class title in 2015 is his for the taking.

Being fastest on Friday (1’39.300) at Jerez is a positive step in that direction. His comments on Friday afternoon:

“My mentality from this morning was to go for it and don’t think too much, just try to ride according to my instinct and it worked very well, especially in the morning. In the afternoon we tried the hard rear tire that was very bad, with lots of spinning for everyone and I decided to go back to the softer one, since that one is much better in cold but also in warmer conditions. Yamaha and I did great things together in the past. In the last two years I felt less good, but we focused on the year and now it seems we’re coming back stronger. We will have to demonstrate it tomorrow and especially on Sunday. Yesterday was a great day for me and I am very grateful that Yamaha has faith in me even in a very hard moment. I want to show my form again on the track tomorrow with my speed.”

Lorenzo refers to confirming that he will stay at Yamaha in 2016 and fulfill his 2-year contract, rather than seek an escape in order to join Ducati as some have suggested.

With Rossi winning two of the first three races and seeming to have found his own personal Philosopher’s Stone, Lorenzo has to get on the top step sooner rather than later, and Jerez is the perfect place for him.

Photographs: ©2015 by by Tony Goldsmith / TGF Photos and Yamaha Motor Racing SRL – All Rights Reserved

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