Red Bull Motorsports
MotoGP
3-time MotoGP™ world champion Jorge Lorenzo announces his retirement
Lorenzo will bow out from MotoGP™ following this season’s final race in the Repsol Honda Team rider’s native Spain.
Jorge Lorenzo will bring down the curtain on his highly successful MotoGP™ career following this weekend’s season finale in Valencia.
This will be my last race in MotoGP™
During a press conference at Circuit Ricardo Tormo on Thursday, the three-time MotoGP™ world champion confirmed that he'd not be racing next season, saying, "This will be my last race in MotoGP™."
The Spaniard remarked that a succession of injuries had taken their toll on his body – especially back fractures sustained at Assen – and these were a major factor in his decision to retire.
Lorenzo got his first taste of MotoGP™ racing in 2008 off the back of two 250cc world championship wins. His smooth style helped him to secure 44 race wins and three world titles while with Yamaha.
Then came two years with Ducati before joining up with Marc Márquez at Repsol Honda. However, Lorenzo was never able to push his new team-mate due to some bad luck with injuries. The 32-year-old’s best finish of the season so far has been 11th place in France. He's finished no higher than 14th since returning from his crash at Assen.
I've always thought there are four significant days in the life of a rider; your first race, first win, first world championship, and then the day you retire
“I've always thought there are four significant days in the life of a rider; your first race, first win, first world championship, and then the day you retire,” Lorenzo said in Valencia. “As you all imagined, I'm here to announce that this day has arrived for me.”
