All it took was a phone call! In that same call, Lorenzo’s manager told Spanish website As, # 99 convinced Repsol Honda manager Alberto Puig to give him the place of Dani Pedrosa, as that was the only chance the rider had a motorcycle factory for 2019.

‘Jorge persuaded Puig to hire him with a phone call, talking to him with his heart and convincing him that this bike should be for him’, said Albert Valera.

From the moment the current Ducati rider knew he was not going to continue on his team, Lorenzo did everything he could to get a competitive bike from 2019. He still had the chance to have a Yamaha sponsored by Petronas, but if that happened it would be through a satellite team … However, it would not be a bad choice as Lorenzo would return to the Yamaha world, preparing his return to the official team when Valentino Rossi stops running.

However, # 99 decided to embrace a new challenge, just like it did when he moved to Ducati. At the Borgo Panigale factory, Lorenzo has shown that he can adapt to a bike if there are efforts of the team in that sense, so the adaptation to Honda should have its results.

Now we have to wait for the Valencia tests that will take place after the end of the championship …