MotoGP Gossip: Lorenzo hints at car racing career, competing against Rossi

In this week’s MotoGP Gossip column, Jorge Lorenzo has hinted at a future in car racing which could include going up against former rival Valentino Rossi, while Alberto Puig believes several retired MotoGP riders are better than the current crop of stars, except Marc Marquez…

Robert Jones

15 Mar 2022

Valentino Rossi, Jorge Lorenzo, Yamaha, MotoGP,
© Gold and Goose Photography

Three-time MotoGP champion - five-time world champion overall - Jorge Lorenzo could be about to follow Valentino Rossi in taking up car racing.

Retired since the end of 2019, Lorenzo has remained close to the MotoGP paddock after dabbling with punditry before signing a deal to become a commentator for Spanish streaming service DAZN.

Lorenzo, who is scheduled to appear behind the mic for seven races this season - includes round one in Qatar which has already taken place - is unlikely to have anything more than a part-time gig after confirming a return to racing is possible.

As reported by Speedweek.com, Lorenzo said: "I like talking about bikes, maybe I'll visit some TV shows in Europe. I also plan to do car racing, maybe there will be an opportunity there soon. Then in the long run it's also possible that I'll race against Valentino Rossi again." [Speedweek.com].

In other news, MotoGP’s new Documentary titled ‘Unlimited’, a series which has seen a considerable amount of displeasure from fans due to it being dubbed, and therefore losing some of the personality and ‘realness’ of the riders, showcased a moment where Razlan Razali, current Team Owner at RNF Yamaha claimed he wished Rossi would never win again following an early encounter, or lack thereof in 2005.

A reminder, this is before Rossi signed for Razali’s Petronas Yamaha team in what eventually turned out to be his final season as a MotoGP rider (2021).

"I was a big, very big fan of his. In 2005 he came to Malaysia for the winter tests, I asked him to autograph me a book and he passed me by without saying anything, he didn’t even think twice. So I thought: you come to my country and do this to me? You will never win a championship again." [GPOne.com].

Finally in this week’s MotoGP gossip, Alberto Puig has claimed Casey Stoner, Dani Pedrosa and Jorge Lorenzo were better than the current crop of young MotoGP stars, while Rossi and current Repsol Honda rider Marc Marquez are alone at the top. [Marca.com].