Jorge Lorenzo: Injuries key to 2013 MotoGP title race

Jorge Lorenzo says it is the fact that Marc Marquez has remained injury-free and been able to race at 100% fitness all season that has been pivotal to the Spaniard remaining on course to become the first rookie to win the MotoGP title at the first attempt since Kenny Roberts in 1978.

Marquez arrives at Silverstone this week in red-hot form after collecting victories in the previous four races in a spell of domination last achieved by Valentino Rossi back in 2008.

The Repsol Honda rider will go into this weekend’s British Grand Prix with a 26-point lead over teammate Dani Pedrosa and key to the 20-year-old’s title challenge has been just one mistake in the opening 11 rounds.

Marquez was second in the Mugello round in Italy when he crashed out late on but that remains his only DNF and he has claimed 10 podium finishes so far.

Lorenzo meanwhile wasn’t 100% fit when he raced to a heroic fifth in Assen after breaking his left collarbone in a practice crash. The factory Yamaha rider then missed the Sachsenring race when another crashed damaged a titanium plate in his left shoulder. He has since not finished higher than third in the last three races.

Pedrosa’s title challenge was also blown off course when he broke his left collarbone in a practice crash for the German Grand Prix last month and he is only just nearing full fitness again.

Lorenzo, who is now 44-points adrift of Marquez with just seven races remaining, said: “The difference between Marc and us is that he has not committed a serious mistake and not been injured. He has been able to run the race to 100% and we do not.

“Dani has missed two races to be at 100%, or even three. And I have had four races without being 100%. So logic says that Marc should be champion this year because he is the leader and he is always running at 100%.”