Marco Bezzecchi
Jorge Lorenzo was the biggest winner of the infamous events that took place at the 2015 Malaysian Grand Prix, securing his first MotoGP title at the following race.
The Spaniard was locked into a tight championship battle with Valentino Rossi in the final rounds of the season, after Marc Marquez was eliminated from championship contention just a few rounds earlier.
Rossi believed Marquez was aiding Lorenzo in his title push, and the feud reached a boiling point at the penultimate round of the season in Sepang.
The Italian rider found himself behind the Ant of Cervera during the Malaysian Grand Prix, and despite every effort, he wasn’t able to make a move that stuck on the factory Honda rider.
In a last-ditch attempt to overtake him, Rossi kicked Marquez off his bike on lap seven of the race, changing his reputation in the sport forever.
Marquez retired from the race, and The Doctor continued on to finish on the podium in third place with Lorenzo ahead of him in second.
Jorge Lorenzo was frustrated with the lack of punishment for Valentino Rossi in Malaysia
Heading into the penultimate round of the 2015 season, Lorenzo had an 11-point deficit in the riders’ standings to Rossi.
The result in Malaysia meant that the Italian’s lead in the championship was cut down to seven points heading into the final Grand Prix of the year.
Speaking on DAZN’s analytical series DECOD3D, Lorenzo recalled the incident in Malaysia and explained why he was so annoyed with how Rossi’s actions were punished.
“I acted like a football player who exaggerates as much as possible with gestures to defend his position,” Lorenzo told DAZN, via Motorsport.com. “I was annoyed by the lack of a penalty or black flag for Rossi, which hurt me in points, because I would have been the leader.
“It’s true that Márquez tried to push him off his rocker and slow him down, but Valentino’s reaction at that corner was clear. He didn’t just try to overtake him, he tried to push him off the track, or at least off the line.”
Lorenzo was frustrated with the lack of action against Rossi due to the fact that the Italian rider was awarded all 16 of the world championship points given for finishing in third.
Lorenzo’s second-place finish meant the deficit was eaten into by just four points, leaving him with a seven-point lead to overturn at the final race of the season in Valencia.
Jorge Lorenzo also highlighted the ‘impressive’ power Valentino Rossi had over the media
The two-time MotoGP champion also referred to the dynamic of Rossi on race weekends, telling the Spanish broadcaster, via Motorsport.com, “Rossi was more about racing and pace than pole position. He was very complete, with very few weak points.
“Valentino is super intelligent, very cunning. On the track, he was exactly the same. His media power was impressive; if I hadn’t been a mentally strong person, that would have made me smaller.”
Casey Stoner previously echoed Lorenzo’s comments regarding Rossi’s hold on the press, referencing his time in the premier class battling against the world-renowned Italian rider.
The two-time champion also noted that fans would go out of their way to try to injure him during race weekends in the home country of Rossi.
The two riders participated in an extremely intense rivalry during their days competing, something that Stoner now sees in a ‘beautiful’ light.
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