Jorge Lorenzo: ‘Pray and be patient’ at Silverstone

Jorge Lorenzo’s grip on the MotoGP world title slipped further in Brno yesterday (Sunday) when the factory Yamaha rider was overpowered by Honda duo Marc Marquez and Dani Pedrosa.

The reigning world champion led for the opening 15 laps before he came under attack from rookie sensation Marquez.

He briefly seized the advantage back on lap 18 but Marquez immediately retaliated and the wind was quickly sucked out of Lorenzo’s sails as he dropped back to third behind Pedrosa in the closing stages.

It was the second time in a week that Lorenzo has admirably taken the fight to the Honda duo, only to be blitzed in the decisive final stages.

Lorenzo now heads to this weekend’s British Grand Prix at Silverstone trailing Marquez by a massive 44-points with only seven races left.

When asked how he assessed his prospects going to Silverstone he said: “Pray and be patient.”

While Marquez has scored 100-points in the last four races with four successive wins, Lorenzo has struggled to score just 42, his challenge badly hampered by his absence in Germany with a broken left collarbone.

Lorenzo said: “I made a good start and I was very determined to push from the beginning at the first corner and I could open a good gap but it was impossible to increase it by more than one second.

“I kept pushing to try and find some more tenths but I didn’t find it. When Marc passed me I knew it was going to be really difficult to win the race but I tried to pass him again. Little by little I was losing ground on him and then Dani passed me and the tyres started to drop a lot.

“I am disappointed from one side because I am losing races when I am in really good form but on the other side I am happy with myself because I am doing the best job I can do.”

Lorenzo is riding exceptionally well but he has still got nothing to trouble Marquez and the potent factory RC213V Honda.

He is still waiting for a new seamless shift gearbox to be declared race ready by Yamaha but said he remains 100% confident that his YZR-M1 will be improved.

He added: “I think Yamaha is always pushing to be better. They are working 24 hours a day and I believe in them and I have full confidence in Yamaha.”

Lorenzo was on the receiving end of a HRC hammering in 2011 when he last tried to successfully defend his title.

This season the YZR-M1 is not being so badly exposed but Lorenzo said that even without his injury woes this year that defeating Marquez is an immensely difficult task.

He said: “It is a little bit easier than in 2011 because then we lose always almost one second and on some special occasion we could win a race. This year we are better but Honda has improved a lot the weak points it has from the past.

“It is easier but I have been injured two times and that is why I am so far behind Marc in the championship. But without the injuries it would also be difficult to win this title.”

For coverage of the Brno race and a 16-page preview of the British Grand Prix, see the August 28 issue of MCN.