Newly crowned double
MotoGP champion
Jorge Lorenzo will start the Valencia season finale from second on the grid, between the Repsol Hondas of
Dani Pedrosa and Casey Stoner.
Pedrosa had surged massive (for Valencia) 0.584s clear in the closing minutes, before Lorenzo pulled his advantage down to 0.351s, losing much of that time in the final sector.
“In the last sector we close too much compared to the Hondas, so that is one of the keys,” said Lorenzo.
“I'm not certain, but I imagine we lose time from the exit of the last corner in first gear and then along the main straight, because they maybe have a bit better traction and less wheelie.
“So they are faster when they shift up the gears.”
Lorenzo, the only Yamaha race winner of the 2012 season, admitted that Honda's huge level of resources is a constant concern.
“We always worry about Honda,” said the Spaniard. “Honda is a big company with a lot of economic power so they are always trying to get the best bike.
“We [Yamaha] are a little smaller, but we get a lot of championships. So with less budget, Yamaha can still get a lot of world titles.
“It is a different position, but anyway I am 100 per cent confident that Yamaha will put in the maximum effort to improve my 1000 for next year.”
Lorenzo, a Yamaha rider since his 2008
MotoGP debut, turned down the chance to join Honda for 2013. Lorenzo and Pedrosa have both won six races this year.