Matthew Birt · @birtymotogp
20th Aug 2014 from TwitLonger
Jorge Lorenzo not surprised by lack of Honda interest
Jorge Lorenzo says he was not shocked to have been completely overlooked by Honda for a spot next to dominant reigning world champion Marc Marquez in 2015.
HRC boss Shuhei Nakamoto had vowed to approach the Spaniard during winter testing after a failed attempt to lure Lorenzo away from Yamaha back in 2012.
But after recently re-signing long-serving HRC rider Dani Pedrosa on a new two-year deal, Honda revealed it had not even made a tentative approach to negotiate with Lorenzo.
Lorenzo finally signed a two-year contract extension to remain with Yamaha ealier this month.
He’d briefly spoken to both Ducati and Suzuki but denied he was disappointed that Nakamoto didn’t follow through on his pledge to negotiate with the 27-year-old, who has yet to win a race in 2014.
The double MotoGP world champion, who was second behind Pedrosa in Brno last weekend, told MCN: “They (HRC) had a really strong desire to take me two years ago and as you say Nakamoto said they would like to contact me but this never happened. I don’t know the motive, so maybe they changed their opinion. You need to ask him (Nakamoto) why they didn’t contact me but back in 2012 and also now, my priority was to sign with Yamaha, so I am very happy to have done that.”
Earlier this season, both Marquez and HRC denied speculation that the reigning world champion had blocked Honda management from approaching Lorenzo.