Jorge Lorenzo - Q&A.

Jorge Lorenzo heads into this weekend's British Grand Prix at Donington Park just 14 points behind Fiat Yamaha team-mate and reigning six time MotoGP world champion Valentino Rossi.

During Wednesday's London media launch for the British Grand Prix, Crash.net spoke to Lorenzo about his superb start to only his second season in MotoGP, racing against Rossi, the latest on his 2010 contract talks and more...

Q:
Jorge, last year you had 114 points after nine races, this year you have 162. You've also taken two wins and eight podiums, so how would you score yourself out of ten for the year so far?

Jorge Lorenzo:
I would say 8 out of 10.

Q:
How have you improved over last year?

Jorge Lorenzo
First of all, as you know we changed the tyre brand and this gave me the reliability I needed. And also more self confidence, because I knew I had the same tyres as everyone now. Apart from this I have one more year of experience in this category, and with this bike, which has helped me a lot.

Q:
You had two big accidents in qualifying at Laguna Seca, but nearly won the race. How do you ride so fast when you are hurt, as you also did last year?

Jorge Lorenzo
I don't know! I think my secret could be just that I do my maximum always. Whatever the circumstance. I don't complain about my physical condition. So if I can do only 80 per cent, I do 80 per cent. It is a question of concentration and focus, to ride as well as you can.

Q:
You are racing Rossi regularly now, fighting with him, what is that like?

Jorge Lorenzo
I think every race we get closer to him. We won in Japan and Le Mans but at that point Valentino was not as competitive as he is now. He is now more competitive because he found a better set-up for his bike and has better feel now. But we are still fighting with him. So I think from the beginning of the championship until now, we have always gone forward.

Q:
How different is your bike set-up compared with Valentino?

Jorge Lorenzo:
Quite different. Normally, Valentino's bike has more weight in the front and my bike has more weight in the rear.

Q:
And you have a good setting for your bike? Are you are happy with it?

Jorge Lorenzo:
Yeah. We don't change so much the bike. Almost we have the same bike as Valentino. It is only some pieces that Valentino still has that I don't have. But I have a winning bike and I am happy with this.

Q:
Everybody wants to know where Jorge Lorenzo will be riding next year, so what is the situation as of today?

Jorge Lorenzo:
You know, I feel great at Yamaha. I feel comfortable and we have a real family [atmosphere] and a very competitive bike. But the point is how [much] Yamaha really want me. If there is another brand that wants me more than Yamaha, I don't know.

Q:
You want to know that you are very important to Yamaha?

Jorge Lorenzo:
Yamaha has a very good situation because normally they have two riders on the podium at every race, but also they have to support two riders at the same level. This is not easy. We will see if [for] Yamaha it is enough [to have] one competitive rider or if they want to prepare for the future.

Q:
Can you comment on the Honda rumours?

Jorge Lorenzo:
Now I am at Yamaha and it is not fair to speak about other brands.

Q:
Whoever you sign for, do you want a one year deal, two year deal, something even more long term...

Jorge Lorenzo:
Normally the contract of any rider is two years.

Q:
Last question, Rossi has pulled out a 14 point lead heading into this weekend's British Grand Prix, what is your goal this weekend?

Jorge Lorenzo:
You know, Valentino has won some very close races and this has put him a little bit more forward than me in the championship. But my goal continues to be to do better than last year on points and in the final championship classification. So better than fourth. And if we can win races, we will try.