Lorenzo insists there will be no wall with Rossi in 2013 MotoGP season
Jorge Lorenzo insists there will be no repeat of the acrimony that divided Yamaha the last time he and Valentino Rossi were team-mates
Rossi was the established team leader when Lorenzo arrived at Yamaha in 2008, and after two strong seasons by the Spaniard, the Italian expressed his belief that giving both riders equal status was an unsustainable situation.
The pair's animosity manifested itself in the construction of a wall dividing either side of the garage in 2010. Lorenzo won his first world crown that year, with Rossi departing to Ducati.
Now established as Yamaha's leader, Lorenzo has welcomed Rossi's return while the Italian insists he will start the year as the number two rider.
Masao Furusawa, the guiding hand behind Yamaha's YZR-M1 project, recently warned the situation could once more become unmanageable, but Lorenzo refutes that fear.
"Probably too much was made of the wall, for the importance it had," Lorenzo said during this year's Race of Champions.
"This is a very individual sport, [because] everyone is interested in his own job. It's not like playing soccer or basketball.
"Anyway it doesn't matter - no wall this time."
Rossi, who tested for Yamaha in November, said his first days at the Japanese team felt like he had "never been away."
Previous article
Rossi/Lorenzo pairing will create a 'big problem' for Yamaha
Next article
Aleix Espargaro: Beating Randy de Puniet a huge achievement
About this article
| Series | MotoGP |
| Drivers | Valentino Rossi , Jorge Lorenzo |
| Teams | AB Motoracing |
| Author | Sam Tremayne |
Marc Marquez is back
MotoGP Starting Grid: Portugal Grand Prix
MotoGP Starting Grid: Doha Grand Prix
Marc Márquez's first ride after his injury
Marc Marquez continues his recovery
What does Marc Marquez have to do to get back to his best?
Following his resounding MotoGP return with a seventh place finish in Portugal, Marc Marquez now must work to rediscover his best form before turning his attention towards results-based targets
How Yamaha’s rookie-spec MotoGP star is taking charge
Fabio Quartararo is on a roll in 2021, having stormed to victory at a venue where he last year served up one of his worst races. Contrasting Portuguese GPs for Yamaha’s factory duo make it hard to understand just how good its 2021 MotoGP bike is, but the Portimao weekend has revealed one key improvement compared to 2020
The hurdles Marquez faces next in his Portugal MotoGP return
Even by Marc Marquez’s own high standards, his MotoGP comeback on Friday at the Portuguese Grand Prix will be considered a success even if he didn’t top the times. But having shown competitive pace on his first day back, both Marquez and his rivals know plenty more challenges are to come
Where does Honda's new MotoGP signing sit ahead of its king's return?
Pol Espargaro’s first results as a Honda MotoGP rider may not appear special. But dig a little deeper and a clearer picture of his performance emerges. And, as Lewis Duncan writes, it’s cause for celebration at Honda with the return of Marc Marquez set to provide Espargaro with the reference he has been missing so far this year
The "pit bull" MotoGP rookie already drawing legendary comparisons
MotoGP’s 2021 rookie crop is one of the strongest in recent years, but one is already standing out. Jorge Martin’s Doha GP heroics have courted many to compare him to numerous MotoGP legends. Autosport spoke to Pramac boss Francesco Guidotti to find out why MotoGP’s latest Spanish star is already making such an impact
Why MotoGP's stewards must revisit Miller and Mir's Losail clash
Despite Suzuki’s decision not to appeal against Race Direction’s refusal to penalise Jack Miller following the incident with Joan Mir in Losail, something must be done to avoid a repeat of such an incident, which could have easily ended in tragedy
Has Yamaha banished its demons with its 2021 MotoGP bike?
Against the expected run of play at Qatar's Losail circuit, both Yamaha riders Maverick Vinales and Fabio Quartararo carved through a resolute Ducati defence to secure back-to-back MotoGP wins for the Japanese marque. After a difficult 2020, it appears that Yamaha has swaggered back into championship contention
Why MotoGP’s top gun looks more dangerous at the Doha GP
Lightning hasn't struck twice for Maverick Vinales since 2017 and his wayward form of recent years makes predicting how he'll fare each MotoGP race weekend tricky. But fresh from his Qatar GP win, Vinales looks like an even more dangerous prospect for the Doha GP following an intriguing Friday practice
