In this interview with Spanish website strong>Solomoto, Jorge Lorenzo talks about many things and as always in any conversation with a MotoGp rider, it eventually turns to Valentino Rossi and also Lorenzo’s other rival Dani Pedrosa.

Valentino is adored by the public, do you feel the same about him?

No, I don’t adore him because he’s not my friend, but I do respect him because he’s my teammate and because of what he’s achieved and for what he’s done for motorcyling. He’s very charismatic and he’s a reference point for me, not only as a rider also what he’s done for this sport.

Can you live with a star that is untouchable without hating him?

Really, I don’t hate him, I don’t hate anyone.

Would you like to be the man to beat and win as many races as he does?

All of us would like to win alot. I’m very competitive and I even get angry with myself when I’m not fast when I’m training with a motocross bike.

And Valentino is competitive?

Valentino is a cannibal, he’s the most competitive of all of them. This is why he doesn’t even leave the crumbs.

I was talking about agonistic hate before, like the necessity to stay in front of your adversary and respect him at the same time. How do you beat a rival without feeling a certain aversion towards him?

I don’t feel that way because I’m a lucky guy: my Yamaha is going super well, I’m in a very professional team. This doesn’t mean that beating Rossi will be easy, it will be very complicated, but if you do it, it automatically means that you beat everyone else.

In your garage you’re separated by a wall that Valentino wanted. Do you think that your bikes will be the same?

I thinks so. I don’t think Yamaha has any interest in favouring one or another. Logically when their is some new things to test, they give it first to Valentino and the only thing that I can do is earn them. I’m not in a easy situation because I’m fighting against the best and he’s also my teammate.

It’s difficult to be friends with your rivals, you’re not Rossi’s friend and I don’t think you are with Pedrosa. Do you think you’ll be able to shake his hand?

I’ve always offered my hand to Dani and it will always be like that.

Jorge, Spain has to beat Rossi, be it Pedrosa, Elias or you … What tatics can be used to beat him?

Work harder than he does, break later that he does, be faster and more constant.

Do you feel inferior to Valentino Rossi?

No, if the bike works well and I can play all my cards, one day I’ll beat him

How do you judge Pedrosa as a rider?

He’s a rider with natural talent, one of best ever seen. Thanks to Puig he’s learned an excellent way of working. If it wasn’t for Alberto, Dani wouldn’t be where he is now. On the other hand time is going by and everything that Alberto can teach will finish. Dani as a rider has something special: he accelerates in a very particular way, very aggressive.

What do Rossi and Pedrosa have in common?

Both like to win and both are very fast, but their way of seeing racing and life is very different.

If you understand Spanish you can see the entire interview at Solomoto’s website.

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