Jorge Lorenzo, 250cc World Champion
Jorge Lorenzo has given Spain a thirteenth World Championship
after finishing fourth at the Grand Prix of Comunitat Valenciana.
The Majorcan Fortuna Aprilia rider accomplished his goal at
the second bite of the cherry after an initial opportunity
escaped two weeks ago in Portugal. Lorenzo completed an intelligent
race, getting into a decent position, maintaining a good speed
and controlling his advantage in the points table until the
chequered flag. Andrea Dovizioso, his sole challenger for
the title, was never in a place to threaten his bid to secure
the Championship. He remained close for a few laps but the
point gap held by Lorenzo was sufficient. In the end Jorge
finished quite close to his team-mate Héctor Barberá,
who closed the season with a podium result, and in front of
Alex Debón, who was on hand to lend assistance when
Dovizioso’s attack was at its sharpest. Jorge ‘claws’
have been fiercer at other times in the season, with eight
victories, eleven pole positions and finally a ‘number
one’ on the fairing of the Aprilia RSW250.
JORGE LORENZO, 4th. WORLD CHAMPION
· This is a sensation that right now I cannot describe.
Maybe in a few hours it will hit me and I’ll cry but
right now I am so ecstatic that I can’t really feel
anything, it is a unique feeling that has to be experienced.
· It was a tricky race, I did not have a decent speed
or rhythm and this effectively stopped me from being able
to go for a good result. When I saw Dovizioso pass me I got
a little nervous but I was able to overtake him and this time
escape.
· It has been a very hard season and we all had to
work together to conquer the worse days, but thanks to the
best team in the world, we did it. I dedicate this title to
them and all the people that love and support me; I feel really
proud to have these people at my side.
· Dovizioso is a great rider and I am sure he will
be my rival again in the future but today I thought he would
have gone faster.
· The victory at Jerez was really special but to win
here in front of all those people who were backing me is like
the ultimate sporting dream come true. It was a really long
race, but we got there in the end; we are World Champions!
· Alex Debon did a fantastic job, he was incredible.
He is a great person.
· Nobody is perfect and sometimes I have acted in
a way that now I feel sorry for, but I guess being human is
about making mistakes and learning from them.
HECTOR BARBERA, 3rd
“I am not so happy with the race and I had problems
with my tyres. I did not make a good choice and later on I
paid for it. I hoped to be further forward and fighting for
the victory. I have to be content with third and a podium
is not a bad way to finish the season but I still have this
bitter taste in that I wasn’t closer to going for the
win. It has been a complicated season; with an injury that
completely broke the good form that I had going and some technical
problems that meant I wasn’t able to get comfortable
and show the real speed of Barberá”.
DANI AMATRIAIN. Team Manager
Congratulations to Jorge for the World Championship because
he deserved it more than anyone, to Héctor for his
podium result and to Alex Debón for his great team
work. Also to all the members of the Team Fortuna Aprilia
because everyone contributed in gaining this celebration of
a world title. I want to thank Aprilia, Fortuna, Lotus and
all the sponsors, because without them none of this would
have been possible.”
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