Lorenzo: Ducatis don’t count for the championship

Reigning MotoGP champion Jorge Lorenzo believes that the factory Ducati team of Andrea Iannone and Dovizioso, one of whom he will join next year, have been ruled out of the 2016 championship, at least for the time being.

He was speaking ahead of this weekend’s round of the series at Mugello, a track that he believes will nonetheless suit the red bikes – as well as him.

“Obviously the Ducati will be very strong there with all the long straights, and it’s a track where they spend a lot of days testing. But I think for now they don’t count so much for the championship, because of the mistakes of both their riders, and we need to compare our level with Marc and Rossi instead.

“Mugello is a track that I love; possibly my favourite track of the season. I can take the profit of all my qualities there, all my strong points. It’s great that we’re going there leading the championship too!”

Iannone now trails Lorenzo by 65 points, two ahead of his teammate Dovizioso, after a disastrous start to the season that has saw the pair finish only four of ten races this year.