Three-time MotoGP world champion Jorge Lorenzo is all set to retire from MotoGP after the final Grand Prix of this season in Valencia. The 32-year-old racer broke the news by calling a press conference in Valencia. Lorenzo had missed out on three races this season after he broke his vertebra during practice in July this year. Since recovering from injury, Lorenzo's best finish has been 14th.
Addressing in the press conference, Lorenzo explained the reason behind his retirement plan - "Unfortunately, injuries soon came to play an important role in my season, being unable to ride in normal physical conditions. This, plus a bike that never felt natural to me, made my races very difficult. Anyway, I never lost the patience and I kept fighting, just thinking that was a simple matter of time and that after all things would get into the right place."
"I really feel this is the best decision for me and for the team, Jorge Lorenzo and Honda cannot be here just to score some points!" he added.
The 32-year-old Spanish rider won the 250cc championships in 2006 and 2007. He won MotoGP titles with Yamaha in 2010, 2012 and 2015. Lorenzo, the only one to do so, beat his teammate Valentino Rossi at Yamaha to win the top prize in 2010 and 2015. Rossi paid his tribute to former teammate Lorenzo by calling him "one of the most important MotoGP riders of the modern era". Lorenzo left Yamaha for Ducati in 2017 and joined Honda this season on a two-year contract.
