There was nothing like a non-podium finish for Jorge Lorenzo at MotoGP Aragon race yesterday to have punters speculating about whether he will hold his championship position for 2010.
56 points in five rounds is a tall order for anyone but Dani Pedrosa has proved in recent rounds that he is actually the rider that Lorenzo has been looking over his shoulder at.
We interviewed Wilco Zeelenberg during our live MotoGP coverage at Assen and he was of the opinion that Lorenzo will be the championship winner this year and that Pedrosa won’t catch him.
We’re inclined to agree but that was a while back now and the tables have turned somewhat in Pedrosa’s favour.
He says the championship is still alive and while Honda has shown some technical problems this season, it has proved it still knows how to make bikes that will challenge on the grid.
Recent rounds have been exciting for Honda, with Dovizioso showing snatches of brilliance, too, and things are looking up for Casey Stoner’s arrival in Honda in 2011.
Meanwhile, any loss of the championship from Lorenzo right now would be astounding but as it turns out, his victory is not so wrapped-up as it appeared a couple of months ago.
As Daniele Romagnoli told us, Lorenzo needs to win this year and prove again in 2011 that he can develop the Yamaha M1 and be just as competitive without Valentino Rossi in the box next door.
That’s looking slightly more difficult now that Pedrosa has proven that Honda can compete, and even Nicky Hayden’s red flash today might shake Lorenzo’s confidence a little.
It will be an exciting season end over the next few rounds.
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