Has Lorenzo lost his mind?

[creg-ny-baa]

The title probably says enough. Had the news been announced on 4/1, I'd have been positive it was an April Fool's joke. So, is he going to be a Ducati savant, like Stoner was (for a single year), or is he off to the Italian wasteland (from which Rossi was infinietly relieved to have escaped)?

 

[gixxerjasen]

A bit early for silly season isn't it?

 

[russperry]

I'm not surprised really - he's probably tired of being 2nd fiddle in his own garage, even though he's the one winning the championships. Likely a bad long term move, but in the world of prima donna's that all these guys run in, its believable that he wants to be treated like the top dog on his team.

I have no real feelings either way about Lorenzo, or Rossi or any of them as people, but it was surprising to me that he got booed on the podium last year, as if his winning the championship was wrong and somehow it was owed to Rossi.

 

[SkooterG]

I think he got booed not because Rossi deserved the championship, but because he is a whiny little *****.

 

[creg-ny-baa]

^^^^^

This, and there were boos left over from Marquez.

 

[gixxerjasen]

^^^^^This, and there were boos left over from Marquez.

This guy at the Austin GP had a great shirt that apparently was for sale there.

 

[creg-ny-baa]

A brisk business, I'm sure.

 

[ShawnKing2]

So, is he going to be a Ducati savant, like Stoner was (for a single year), or is he off to the Italian wasteland (from which Rossi was infinietly relieved to have escaped)?

Nothing has been made official yet but if he does move, I don't think it will be as bad as Rossi's move. The Ducati has gotten a *lot* better, he'll get paid a *lot* more money and I bet he thinks (although, it's not true) he'll get out from under Rossi's shadow and to a team he can call his own.

I hope he does. That opens the Yamaha seat and all indications are Maverick Vinales will take it over. I'd love to seem him on a top flight bike.

 

[LKLD]

See ya! I tried to like Lorenzo, and even Marquez for that matter, but find it difficult for some odd reason. That's on a personal level, from what I've seen of them. I can still admire their abilities though.

Lorenzo might be what Ducati needs, someone who can work the bike in the corners. Vinales looks ready to make the jump, so he might be a likely candidate for Yamaha. Zarko is the one that interests me a lot, as he shows great promise for moving up, if he so chooses.

We'll see soon enough.

 

[Pterodactyl]

Today's Ducati team is not the same team that Rossi rode for. I suspect the key motivator for Lorenzo was $$$, but I also think he believes he can help develop a winning team. Ducati certainly has the motor needed to challange for a championship

 

[Hotboot]

Both seats are open at Ducati next year and the machines have gotten very competitive since Lamborghini / Audi bought them. Cash helps R & D.

I would like to see Rossi and Lorenzo stay at Yamaha but I like team continuity, Lorenzo is the one with future potential....that guy is so smooth.

 

[ShawnKing2]

I would like to see Rossi and Lorenzo stay at Yamaha but I like team continuity, Lorenzo is the one with future potential....that guy is so smooth.

Rossi has already signed his last two year contract with Yamaha. He's definitely staying.

 

[900gc]

Ducati has the savant Gigi Dall'Igna now and it 'ain't you fathers Ducati any more'. As talented as some of the other riders are, Rossi, Lorenzo and Marquez remain the best. I think Lorenzo will be right there on the Duc for the championship. I think I'll dig out the 'Stoner Years' MotoGP DVDs and reminisce. I miss him.

 

[Auburn]

I wonder if Lorenzo is just playing Ducati against Yamaha to wrangle more bucks from them.

 

[ShawnKing2]

I wonder if Lorenzo is just playing Ducati against Yamaha to wrangle more bucks from them.

Definitely possible. But Yamaha has Rossi for promotion and they know Vinales will jump at the chance to ride a Yamaha so Lorenzo better not push too hard if that's his plan.

 

[Surly]

I feel for Dovizioso, hope Lorenzo makes the best of any move but most of all I just hope that Magic Marc can continue with what appears to be new found maturity.

 

[gixxerjasen]

I hope he does. That opens the Yamaha seat and all indications are Maverick Vinales will take it over. I'd love to seem him on a top flight bike.

I'd like to see that too. Was at Moto2 in Austin for his first win, would like to see him continue.

Zarko is the one that interests me a lot, as he shows great promise for moving up, if he so chooses.

See my pic of the yellow t-shirt above? We can make Zarko shirts too. Seen him punt too many riders off the track to ever like him.

Today's Ducati team is not the same team that Rossi rode for.

I wonder if Rossi's time there illuminated the problems and created the environment for change. I mean, you had the GOAT there and he couldn't make the bike work and the environment ran him back to his old employer...someone at an executive level had to look at that and realize they effed up and something needed fixing.

 

[ShawnKing2]

I wonder if Rossi's time there illuminated the problems and created the environment for change.

It absolutely did. New ownership and management helped a lot, too.

 

[Bugnatr]

I like it, would be nice to see the Duc on top once in a while. Lorenzo has real talent (not that I'm a huge fan of him) and now that it's a better bike he may be able to put it there next year.