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Yamaha says Jorge Lorenzo won't repeat poor 2014 MotoGP season

Yamaha MotoGP team boss Lin Jarvis is confident that Jorge Lorenzo will not repeat the mistakes that put him on the back foot from the start of the 2014 season

After coming within four points of beating Marc Marquez to the 2013 title despite twice breaking his collarbone during the campaign, Lorenzo began this year with an opening lap crash and a jump-start penalty in the first two rounds, leaving him 16th in the standings early on.

He was then overshadowed by team-mate Valentino Rossi for much of the season, and only broke into the top four in the championship after round six at Mugello in June.

Lorenzo eventually rediscovered his form, with wins at Misano and Aragon helping him to salvage third in the standings.

Winter surgery to fully repair his 2013 injuries had an impact on Lorenzo's preparations for this year, and Jarvis also reckoned there were off-track misjudgements that set him back.

"Jorge was not as strong as he could've been and should've been, and he had two errors in the first races that put him very much on the back foot and he had to recover from that," said Jarvis.

"Jorge's performance was phenomenal at the end of last season after the collarbone breaks.

"Then he had surgery, he had some changes in his organisation and planning, and I don't think he'll be doing the same things for next year.

"I think there was a combination of things needing to be improved and be sorted, and Marc was sensational from the beginning."

Jarvis admitted that Yamaha was also outclassed by Honda in the first part of 2014, though he also felt this year's Bridgestones were better suited to the rival bikes.

"From the first tests we found out that the new tyre construction was not ideal for our riders," he said.

"That was something that was improved throughout the year.

"The Honda was on a better level than the Yamaha at the beginning of the year.

"Our engineers did a lot of work to improve the bike.

"In particular braking was an area we focused on and we did a lot of work to get closer, and I would say we are now on the same level as the Honda."

Yamaha ultimately won four of the season's last six races, and Jarvis believes overall there was nothing to be ashamed of.

"The beginning of the year was difficult for us for various reasons, but it's better to finish strong than to start strong and finish weak," he said.

"The second half of the year has been very good.

"Jorge got back in the zone and Valentino has been exceptional all year long.

"To be second and third is not ideal, but it's not bad.

"We still see the season in its entirety as a positive season for us."

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