Jorge Lorenzo cautious on 2009 title aspirations

Jorge Lorenzo thinks he’s only fourth favourite to win the 2009 MotoGP crown.

Speaking in an interview as part of Yamaha’s 2009 factory team launch, the Spaniard reckons team-mate Valentino Rossi, 2007 world champion Casey Stoner and compatriot Dani Pedrosa are stronger contenders to lift this year’s premier class crown.

Asked how he rated his own title prospects in 2009, Lorenzo said: “It is difficult. It is very difficult, firstly because I don’t have the experience to fight for the title.

“I think that right now there are riders with more experience. Above all there is a great champion in the shape of Valentino Rossi, who I have in the box next to me, and in theory he is the favourite.

“Not only that, I have three riders who in principal are more of a favourite than I am so the most important thing is that we get closer to our objective every season, become faster and learn more.

“But I don’t think I am the favourite for the title. I think that people have higher expectations for the results of Pedrosa, Stoner and Valentino.

“Yes, it is true that I started the year really well, with a victory in the third race of my first season.

“I started very strongly but that doesn’t mean to say that the same will happen every time and that every season is going to start out the same for me.”