Jorge Lorenzo, a three-time MotoGP world champion, has been away from the sport for nearly a decade but recently discussed whether he thinks he could still compete at the top level if he were to return.
Lorenzo’s achievements stand out in MotoGP history, particularly as the only rider to have taken down every member of the sport’s renowned fantastic four in head-to-head title battles – even including Marc Marquez.
Injuries played a big part in shortening his time at the top. After breaking a vertebra in 2019, Lorenzo decided it was time to step away from racing and soon after announced his retirement plans.
Since then, Lorenzo has cautioned Marquez about ignoring the signs that it might be time to move on, especially as injuries have started to catch up with Marquez in recent years too.
Jorge Lorenzo admits he could still race in MotoGP, but his body can’t keep up anymore
Lorenzo spoke to Marca recently about whether he thought he could still hold his own in the top tier of motorcycle racing.
He called it a day after the 2019 season, which was his toughest year on the grid. He was 32 then – the same age Marc Marquez was when he clinched his seventh title just last year.
Now at 38, Lorenzo says that while he thinks his skills might still be there, physically there’s no chance of matching today’s field.
“More than age, which, as Rossi showed, you could more or less hold your own until 40 or 42,” Lorenzo continued. “It’s the act of quitting. If you quit for a year, when you come back, you’ve lost almost everything.”
“It’s like footballers. You see Ronaldinho in the legends [games], and he hasn’t lost his touch or skill; it’s just physique.”
“I’m capable of doing a lap and being two or three seconds behind the fastest, but that’s it. By lap 20 I’d be five or six seconds behind.”
Lorenzo also spoke about what he misses most from racing:
Lorenzo replied: “There are athletes who love their sport and are passionate about it. I’m a lover of victory.
Valentino Rossi’s former engineer thinks he left the sport too late
Lorenzo’s comments echo what many saw in Rossi’s later years – while he stayed on the grid well into his forties, competing is one thing, but staying competitive is another challenge entirely.
Juan Martinez, a former Honda engineer, has gone as far as saying that Rossi should have stepped away sooner. According to Martinez, the version of Rossi seen in his final seasons was nowhere near the rider who once dominated the sport.
On the other end of that spectrum is Casey Stoner. The Australian walked away from MotoGP at just 27 years old, a decision that came as a shock to many.
Stoner claimed two world titles during his seven seasons in MotoGP, and there’s still plenty of speculation around how much more he could have achieved had he chosen to stay longer.
Receive exclusive football transfer news and updates twice a week to your mailbox
