Marco Bezzecchi
Jorge Lorenzo has warned Marc Marquez that Pedro Acosta will soon be giving him the exact same problem they gave Valentino Rossi at the start of their respective MotoGP careers.
Rossi was furious with Yamaha upon confirmation that Lorenzo would be his teammate for the 2008 MotoGP campaign, and his concerns were warranted, with the rookie instantly beating the Italian at their very first race together as factory counterparts.
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The MotoGP icon was at the height of his career at the time, and the teammate partnership with Lorenzo proved to be one of the fiercest rivalries of his illustrious career in the premier class.
Five years later, another threat to his crown emerged in the form of Marquez, who instantly cemented himself as a MotoGP great by winning the world title in his rookie premier class campaign.
The two would go on to scrap it out in the ensuing years, with the events of Lorenzo’s third and final title feat in 2015 providing one of the most explosive clashes in the history of MotoGP.
The following years saw Marquez continue to dominate, while an ageing Rossi fell down the order and out of regular contention for race wins. As such, Lorenzo has warned that Acosta could now do the same thing to his rumoured future teammate.
Jorge Lorenzo warns Marc Marquez about Pedro Acosta’s imminent dominance
With Lorenzo and Rossi both retired, and Marquez entering his mid-30s, Acosta is widely regarded as the man to inherit his compatriot’s crown as the best rider on the grid.
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The young Murcian has already proved that he has the mettle to hang with Marquez through their battles this season, with their latest scrap at last weekend’s Hungarian Grand Prix leaving fans on the edge of their seats.
Marquez emerged victorious in the encounter, but it’s clear that Acosta is fighting with one hand behind his back due to the sub-optimal performance of his KTM RC16. However, once they become teammates next year, it remains to be seen what will happen.
“I believe that Marc, at 33, has enough experience to know everything that can happen,” Lorenzo told DAZN, via MOW. “He is well aware that we are close to the inevitable generational change.
“There will come a time when the balance of power will be incredibly even. Marc is Marc; he might be superior to Pedro on left-hand circuits, and Pedro will also have the disadvantage of being inexperienced on the Ducati.
“But sooner or later, the time will come. It’s like when I was with Valentino at Yamaha, or Marquez with Rossi. I think Pedro is in a unique situation right now: he’s at a disadvantage and is already doing a lot.”
Following his victory in Hungary, Marquez was highly complimentary of Acosta’s prowess on two wheels, earmarking him as the ‘leader’ of MotoGP’s next generation. However, while Marquez remains active, he will try his very best to delay that changing of the guard.
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