Motorsport Week's team of writers got together to discuss what they believe will be the big questions for the 2019 motorsport season, covering all the major series from Formula 1 to IndyCar, WEC to DTM and everything in-between. We'll be posting one each day and today we ask…
6/19: How will Lorenzo fare at Honda?
Jorge Lorenzo once again steals the anticipation limelight with a major move for the new season. Two years ago, the question was how he would fare at Ducati. Fast forward to 2019, and the same question is posed, though this time with Honda.
Lorenzo's Ducati tenure was a mixed affair: three podiums in 2017 gave way to three wins and a return to the sharp-end of the field for the Spaniard last year. A mix of adapting to a beastly bike and an unwillingness from Ducati to heed feedback caused this mixed form.
The key to Lorenzo's 2019 will be Honda learning from Ducati's sins, and it appears this is already the case. Honda was already testing fuel tank ergonomic changes on Lorenzo's first day on the RC213V, and was a strong fourth at the end of the Jerez test despite still carrying injury from the latter part of the season.
Adapting from the Ducati to the Honda will be far easier than jumping to the former from Yamaha: the RC213V is a difficult machine, but slightly more compact and a little more agile. The biggest obstacle facing Lorenzo is new team-mate Marc Marquez. The pair have enjoyed an up-and-down relationship over the last six years, but Lorenzo is arguably the best rider on the grid next to Marquez. The formidable challenge will only spur him on further.
Whatever happens, Honda has won regardless. Lorenzo was a Honda-beater last year on the Ducati. By bringing him into its fold, Honda has wiped its biggest threat from the board. But there is also no indication at present Lorenzo will simply be making up the numbers at HRC, and its clear Honda is working in the right way to assimilate the Spaniard into its ranks.
Will he be world champion in 2019? Impossible to say. Will he be a title contender in 2019? Almost certainly.
