Honda’s blunder: Lorenzo should not join Yamaha
Former Repsol Honda Principal Team, Livio Suppo was astonished by the Japanese manufacturer who just let Jorge Lorenzo work as a test team rider, rival Yamaha.
For information, Jorge Lorenzo has indeed officially retired at the end of 2019, he ended his contract with Repsol Honda earlier than the agreement. His decision at that time was related to a back injury suffered.
Interestingly, only an interval of two and a half months after announcing his retirement, the man from Spain actually re-involved in MotoGP. However, instead of working with Honda, he instead defended rival manufacturer, Yamaha as a Test Rider.
But Honda seemed indifferent to Lorenzo’s decision to move to Yamaha. This makes many parties wonder.
Not without reason, Lorenzo who worked long enough for Honda, could have leaked some of the manufacturer’s secrets to Yamaha.
In fact, there are also those who suspect that Lorenzo deliberately hanged his helmet so that he could rejoin the Tala Fork team.
If he himself worked as a Honda manager, Suppo claimed he would not hesitate to give a clause prohibiting Lorenzo from moving or working for another manufacturer after retirement.
“The situation is complicated, but I will clearly give a clause,” Suppo said.
Suppo wonder, why did Honda make such a blunder, even though the consequences are quite fatal because there are many secrets known to their former riders.
“I do not know whether the contract between Honda and Jorge ended without paying compensation for 2020. I do not know whether they only paid a part or it was not at all from the original plan.”
“But it’s strange to see a team letting riders, who have decided to retire, do it. I think this should be avoided, “he said.
Actually it is not surprising how this Honda attitude, they had made the same blunder. Before Lorenzo, Dani Pedrosa, where after retiring, the Spaniard accepted the proposal as a KTA test rider in 2018.
Maybe it would be lightning in broad daylight for Honda when they heard the news that Jorge Lorenzo would come down as a Yamaha Wildcard rider this season. However, the initial plan down in the Catalunya series could be delayed because of the Coronavirus pandemic which made MotoGP suspended.