First chance for Lorenzo to take the title coming up at Sepang

MotoGP moves south this week for the second leg of its eastern flyaway tour at Sepang in Malaysia. After the exciting battle between Rossi and Lorenzo on Sunday in Japan, this race presents the first championship ‘match-point’ for Jorge Lorenzo, who can seal his maiden premier-class title this Sunday.

Lorenzo lost out narrowly to his team-mate at Motegi and finished off the podium for only the second time this season, but his focus lies entirely with the championship and he knows he needs just a handful of points on Sunday to become 2010 MotoGP World Champion. His only title rival, Dani Pedrosa, is almost certain to miss the race while he recovers from surgery on his collar-bone and if so Lorenzo will need just six points on Sunday to fulfil his dream. The 23-year-old is a fan of the fast and flowing track, where he clinched his second 250cc title in 2007. Last year at Sepang a sighting lap problem forced him to start from the back but he charged through the field to finish fourth, overtaking 12 riders on his way.

The tropical venue of Sepang was built as a state-of-the-art motor racing venue in 1999 and will celebrate its 20th anniversary with a series of special events over this weekend’s MotoGP. It is one of the widest tracks on the calendar, some 16 metres across in places, and with its fast and frequent changes of direction and some tight hairpins it provides a stern work out for the bike, while the temperatures and high humidity turn it into a test of endurance for the riders.

Jorge Lorenzo: “All I am thinking about is Sunday and if I can win the title…it’s been one of the dreams of my life and it would be great to get it here in Sepang. I like Malaysia a lot and I’ve done so many kilometres there testing on my M1, plus I have great memories from winning the 250 championship there in 2007. The track is long and modern but the weather can be a problem because it can be too hot and also rain can cause problems. Last year was a bit crazy with the rain and then I had to start from last on the grid! I would definitely prefer it to be dry this year. The team and I will focus in the same way we have all season, working hard from Friday and with the goal of podium or victory. We hope for the best result we can get.”

Wilco Zeelenberg: “This is our first chance to achieve our target and take the title and we are excited to arrive at this point after everyone’s hard work. It seems like Dani won’t be riding and if that is the case then we only have to take a few points on Sunday to win the championship. We will keep calm and focused and hopefully everything will come together.”

Source: Yamaha Racing