This year's Ducati is considered one of the best bike the Italian factory has ever produced. Lorenzo and Dovizioso together have clinched the top step of bottom 6 times this year. But who does the credit go to? 

For years Ducati has been known for producing bikes accordingly to what the engineers want to achieve, not the riders. We have seen Casey Stoner struggle, before that it was Melandri, who was even told to see a psychologist, because they claimed the issue was in his head, just like recently they said Lorenzo’s problems were just 'all in his head' and that 20-dollar piece of carbon fibre didn’t make much of a difference.

When greats like Rossi and Stoner say the same thing as Lorenzo said for last 2 years, then there must be something wrong with the system of Ducati.

As the year progresses, the actual facts behind the decision of Lorenzo to join Marc Marquez as teammate next year are unravelling.

In a recent interview he mocked the decision of Ducati to hire Petrucci, as he has never won a MotoGP race. He also criticized Ducati for comparing him with a rider like Petrucci – with zero wins and Championships.

"I was surprised. Due to the poor results of a year and three months, Ducati forgot about what he had achieved in the past and decided to change me, even with the possibility of paying me much less, for riders who are good but who have not yet won any MotoGP race." said the rider in an interview with El País.

He further added decision from Ducati helped him gain more strength and motivated him to do better.

"For example, Petrucci. I won 44 [races] and three World Championships. I do not understand why they did not have the patience, I was showing them that they could lead races, as well as the speed they had because they had already achieved a historic feat in Sepang. I do not understand why they did not insist a little because I am a rider who wins races and championships – or at least I fight for them – when I have the bike to my liking. It made me think, ‘Now I’m going to do it harder.’

 

Challenge awaits:

Now the point is how well he is going perform against the reigning world champion. The attitude at Honda is clear that they will have all the patience to wait for him as he adjusts to the bike.

But the task won’t be easy. The Honda team is centered on Marquez since he joined, there is one man show at Honda.

In an interview with El Periódico, Honda team manager Puig revealed: "I think it will not be easy for Jorge, I believe it will cost him. Much? Little? I have no idea, it will cost you. But Honda will give you everything you need to make this adjustment period as short as possible. The styles of Marc and Jorge are very different. Lorenzo rides very smoothly, needs a more stable bike. Marc, on the other hand, plays a lot with the bike, twist it, needs a bike a bit shorter.’’