Jorge Lorenzo: Psychologically Marc Marquez Must Forget the Losses of Only Getting a ‘Used’ Ducati Bike

RiderTua.com – MotoGP legend Jorge Lorenzo urges Marc Marquez to ignore the fact that he only rides the old version of Ducati (GP23) for the Gresini Racing team. After parting ways with Honda, the 8-time world champion had to adapt to the bike used by Pecco Bagnaia and Jorge Martin when fighting for the MotoGP world title last year.

But now the factory Ducati and Pramac riders are getting the latest upgraded GP24 bikes. Sometimes recipients of a new bike need time to get used to it, but Bagnaia and Martin are the riders to beat.

Marc Marquez doesn’t benefit from riding a GP23, says Jorge Lorenzo. Lorenzo believes that if Marc had a choice, he would choose a GP24 bike. But he couldn’t change it. Mentally he had to forget that shortcoming. And with what he has, he will be the Ducati rider of the year. “If so, Marc will be able to surprise riders riding bikes in 2024,” stressed the 37-year-old former rider.

Jorge Lorenzo: Psychologically Marc Marquez Must Forget the Losses of Only Getting a ‘Used’ Ducati Bike

In 2023, Ducati riders using ‘used’ bikes started the season faster than riders using the newest bikes. Jorge Lorenzo said that it depends on the year. There are years where there is a big difference between the old and new bikes, but there are other years where the new bikes are worse.

Lorenzo said this had happened in the past, but he felt it would not happen to Ducati this year. “Exactly, this season is a season where the new bike is clearly better than the old one and that’s not good for Marc. I don’t think the difference can be overcome, but with the 2024 bike Marquez will go a little faster. Unfortunately, for Marc he arrived at Ducati at a year in which it seems that the new is clearly better than the old,” added the former Spaniard.

Talking about Marc Marquez’s decision to switch manufacturers from Honda to Ducati, Lorenzo said that he thought he had made the best decision, even though he had a very good contract with Honda. Marc is already 30 years old and every year he gets closer to retirement, it is not pleasant for a winning rider not to be in the top 5 in many races and without the possibility of fighting for the world title.

Lorenzo also said that Marquez is one of the best riders in MotoGP and the only rider who is not afraid of falling or getting hurt. He still has excessive ambition, although now that has changed a little. Now we see Marquez wiser than before his injury. After his injury Marc will not be the same as before. But maybe he will be better in the future, said Lorenzo.

Rossi’s former strong rival continued, “We can see a Marquez who has not lost much speed and with a drive that has benefited him many times throughout his career. Marc makes fewer mistakes and fewer crashes, while being more consistent and organized to fight for the title.”

BTW, Lorenzo had a gloomy 2 years in MotoGP with Ducati after his defining period with Yamaha. In 2017 and 2018, Desmosedici failed to win the world title because Marquez was winning with Honda.

But in 2022 Pecco Bagnaia delivered Ducati’s first premier class title in 15 years and the Borgo Panigale factory has continued to dominate ever since. They even managed to convince Marc Marquez to end his intimate relationship with Honda this year.