2011 MotoGP
For the past two years, Jorge Lorenzo has won the French Grand Prix at Le Mans. In 2010, the Yamaha Factory Racing MotoGP rider finished well ahead of his then-teammate Valentino Rossi – a whopping 5.672 seconds before the Italian.
The Spaniard Lorenzo is also looking to 2011 Le Mans MotoGP to keep his string of podiums alive; Lorenzo has finished on the podium in the first three rounds, including his win at a wet Jerez.
Besides taking the last two wins in Le Mans MotoGP (Yamaha), Lorenzo also was victorious at the French circuit in 2007 while competing in the former 250cc World Championship.
Jorge Lorenzo (Yamaha Factory Racing YZR-M1) says: “I am coming back to Le Mans, a track I really enjoy and where I won last season. The people in Le Mans love motorbikes, they love the smell of fuel. We are on the top, but we should be focused on getting as many points as possible.
“Our main goal is the podium, our fourth podium, and to be in front in Montmeló. This track has a lot of chicanes and is funny for me. The weather is always changing, we have to be careful with the forecast, it can change everything.”
Lorenzo and his teammate, the American Ben Spies, will be seeking a Yamaha setup that “delivers optimum balance and control under hard and repeated braking.”
Yamaha Factory Racing MotoGP says success at Le Mans requires dispatching several tight chicanes at the beginning of the circuit then attacking the short straights and tight hairpins that make up the remainder. Although arguably most famous for the Le Mans 24HR race, the iconic circuit draws huge crowds for the French MotoGP race.
Going into Round 4 of 18 in the 2011 MotoGP Championship, Lorenzo has 65 points, four ahead of Repsol Honda’s Dani Pedrosa.
