Yamaha team manager says Jorge Lorenzo needs to win Indianapolis GP
Jorge Lorenzo needs to win this weekend's Indianapolis Grand Prix if he is to stand any chance of defending his MotoGP world title, according to his Yamaha team manager Wilco Zeelenberg
Lorenzo, who lies second in the title race, has won only twice this year and saw the gap to Casey Stoner increase to 32 points as the Honda rider took his sixth victory of 2011 at Brno last time out.
Zeelenberg is adamant that with only seven races remaining, his charger must begin reducing the gap immediately.
"If we want to win the world championship, we need to win races and start beating Casey. It's going to be a big challenge, but we're ready for it," he said.
World champion Lorenzo won at Indianapolis two years ago and believes that the slow twisty nature of the circuit will play to the strengths of his Yamaha, which is renowned as having the best-handling chassis in MotoGP.
"Indy is a track I really enjoy. I treasure wonderful moments like the podiums in 2008 and 2010, and my victory in 2009 wearing Captain America's helmet," said the 24-year-old Spaniard.
"I am now in good shape and am ready to regain the ground we lost in Brno, where a mistake put a distance between Casey and I. I hope the good energy I feel in this track will still help us to fight for the title. I am really looking forward to going back to the US and riding my M1."
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