"I was too ambitious"

Jorge Lorenzo knew his chance of retaining the world championship he won in 2010 had gone before his accident in Australia, in which he severed the tip of his left ring finger. But what the Spanish Yamaha rider wasn't prepared for was the severity of the injury — "the one that has had the most impact of my career," which ruled him out of the last two races of the season — or to watch a colleague die on the track one week later.

Question. What did you think when you took off your glove?

Answer. It didn't hurt at all. Then, after I stood up, my middle finger started to hurt. I took off my glove: it was a normal injury, nothing serious. When I looked at the other finger, I saw that it was awful. There was a lot of blood and I saw the bone, I was missing more than half my finger.

Q. You returned home, a few days passed, and Marco Simoncelli had a fatal accident.

A. [My mother and I] were watching the race in Barcelona and suddenly I saw the image of Marco on the ground, without his helmet on. I didn't pray because I'm not religious, but I was begging for it to be nothing. In a few seconds, after seeing that he wasn't moving, I didn't expect anything good.

Q. How do you remember him?

A. I wasn't his friend, nor did I have a very close relationship with him, but it has had a big impact on me. He was a nice kid, happy and, above all, modest. The genuine people are those who are accepted as they are, like Marco, they are the ones who are worth the effort.

Q. Despite the bad taste left by the way the year ended, how would you sum up your season?

A. The results have been much worse than last year, which was almost impossible to better. Despite that and having a much less competitive bike, we managed to finish runner-up. But I regret the fall at Silverstone, because I should have been more patient and perhaps I could have extended the hope of achieving the title. [...] The fall at Phillip Island was a pointless error because the championship was already decided and I had very few options. I was too ambitious, trying to beat \[new world champion Casey] Stoner on his home turf.

Q. You have said that you actually rode better this year. How have you improved?

A. I've improved my start and my riding in wet conditions a lot. I've also improved in trying to get the most out of the bike I have.

Q. What has failed for you not to be able to stand up to Stoner?

A. A bike that was at least half a second faster.

Q. Do you have your winter vacation already planned?

A. I'll spend it sweating in the gym. I have to get this finger better, no matter what.