Jorge Lorenzo reflects on 2015 MotoGP title win: ‘I knew I couldn’t fail…’

Three-time MotoGP world champion Jorge Lorenzo says “I knew I couldn’t fail” in the controversial finale to the 2015 season, in which he won the title.

The former Yamaha star put together one of his best seasons ever in the premier class in 2015, as he forced the championship battle to go to the final round in Valencia.

The 2015 finale was shrouded in controversy following the infamous Sepang clash between Valentino Rossi and Marc Marquez, after the former accused the Spaniard of conspiring to sabotage the Yamaha rider’s title challenge.

Rossi was given a back-of-the-grid start for Valencia, after being hit with three penalty points in Malaysia to trigger that penalty.

Coming from seven points behind in the standings against Yamaha team-mate Rossi, Lorenzo converted pole in Valencia to victory for the seventh time that season.

With Rossi fourth after riding through from the back, Lorenzo was crowned MotoGP champion for a third time by just five points.

Jorge Lorenzo’s memories of 2015 Valencia finale

This year marks the 10th anniversary of Lorenzo’s final MotoGP world title, with the Spaniard’s Yamaha from that year forming part of a display in the Valencia paddock this weekend.

Read more: The sad reality still haunting Valentino Rossi after MotoGP's biggest fallout

Speaking to the MotoGP world feed on Saturday afternoon about 2015, Lorenzo said: “Well, time goes super quick.

“I cannot believe 10 years has passed. It feels like only two or three years. Lot of nostalgia.

“I was super focused. I was super strong, physically, and I knew I would make it. So, I tried to be sure that nothing was out of my control, that everything was ok.

“So, I was very careful with my mechanics so that all of the bike was perfect and there were no mistakes with anything.

“I knew I had to do my best qualifying in my life, and I did it.

“And I knew I had to be perfect in the race, and I was. So, I didn’t fail, I didn’t make any mistakes. The pressure from the Hondas was strong, but I knew I couldn’t fail.”

The muted celebrations from Yamaha over Lorenzo’s title that year ultimately led to the pair’s relationship falling apart, as the latter joined Ducati in 2017.

Lorenzo retired from MotoGP at the end of 2019, following an injury-hit sole campaign on the factory Honda.