Lorenzo has often said that he admires the Spartans of ancient Greece, warriors who epitomised the word “stoic”. Stoic is what this guy is - and then some.
"I feel happy because we can compete," Jorge continued in his press conference. "Sometimes I take painkillers at night if I turn over and it hurts me. I've been getting around in a wheelchair, but in the last two days I've started to use crutches."
He says that specialists have told him that he won't be fully fit until the Catalan grand prix on June 8, so he has to face this French round and the Italian GP at Mugello in a semi-crippled condition.
"In China it was painful for me," he said of his heroic ride into fourth place. "But here we hope to do the race without any limitations."
The Spartans fought at maybe 25mph in their chariots. Lorenzo will do it at 170mph this weekend.
