He already enjoys his life away from the circuits, but bad times are part of any elite athlete. Jorge Lorenzo was not exempt from the pressure of always being at the top of motorcycling and, in a new installment of the documentary by DAZN, ‘Yo, pilot’, the Mallorcan does not shy away from admitting the worst moments he had to go through during his sports career. Despite the fact that his time at Honda led him to opt for his retirement when no one expected it, the five-time world champion returns to surprise with his revelations: He admits that 2018 meant hitting rock bottom for him, even confessing that he suffered a small depression that turned his world upside down.
Quite a surprise, because that same season meant the resurgence of Spanish and, above all, confirmation that it could be strong with a Ducati. It was only a matter of time, but that year the victories came true while, behind the scenes, Lorenzo was living his darkest stage. “The two years of Ducati I have good memories, perhaps the only bad one was before Mugello that eI went into a little depression. At that moment I understood that I was left without a motorcycle and I was in the best moment of my entire career “, reveals the Mallorcan to the platform.
The Italian brand did not have him and his future was becoming uncertain. A five-time world champion was left without a motorcycle and, seeing himself in that situation, in his best moment as an athlete, Lorenzo did not hesitate to knock on the door of other great teams. His continuity in the MotoGP World Championship was considered, until Honda opened the door: Dani Pedrosa retired at the end of the same season and Alberto Puig, Repsol Honda team manager, was looking for a rider who could match Marc Márquez. The announcement was soon confirmed, however, Jorge was still mired in a loop from which it was difficult for him to get out: “Everything was negative, I just wanted to sleep. I don’t know if it was a depression or a mini depression, but everything was very sad. I was very low in spirits. “
“The word depression and obsession sound very negative. The sport has become more methodical and perfectionist, or you are obsessed and immersed in this world or it is impossible to fight with the best in the world “, revealed the former MotoGP rider. For this reason, Lorenzo highlights the importance of mental health, which has become key in all aspects of life, not only within a sport where the burden of anxiety and stress exceeds the limits of any person. And more if you are an official rider of the best brands in the world: “The same rider and the same person can achieve the best if he is mentally and physically confident and if he is good with the bike and the team. When everything comes together it can be very superior to the others or be the last standout. That is MotoGP and sport. “