Lorenzo: “Ducati didn’t even offer me 1 million euros”

Jorge Lorenzo has denied allegations about his high salary, providing information about his contract negotiations with Ducati in 2017.

Lorenzo and, previously, Valentino Rossi were both great MotoGP champions who Ducati had pinned their hopes on to end its long win drought, but both bets fell through and Lorenzo has now revealed how he left Ducati after two lacklustre seasons.

 “Ducati has lost patience after a year and a half without results,” Lorenzo told AS.

“They didn’t trust me anymore. At that time, the contracts were worth 12 million euros, but they didn’t even offer me 1 million.

“They preferred a driver like Danilo Petrucci.”

“I didn’t even get an offer,” he said.

With his future in jeopardy, Lorenzo quickly signed a contract with Honda for 2019. However, this was his worst year in MotoGP and Lorenzo retired after one season with Honda.

Lorenzo was never able to replicate his glory days at Yamaha, where he won two MotoGP titles.

Lorenzo opted to leave Yamaha after finishing third in 2016 amid a rivalry with teammate Rossi.

“I didn’t have many desires,”

“They pushed harder and it was very clear in Valencia that it was more for Valentino than for me.”

Lorenzo’s choice to sign for Ducati was due to Gigi Dall’Igna. Lorenzo came to Ducati without waiting for Dall’Igna to achieve success with the Desmosedici project, but the manufacturer found success years later.

“I knew Gigi would make Ducati the best bike because he is very stubborn,” Lorenzo said.

“It was a bit like Lewis Hamilton leaving McLaren for Mercedes. Mercedes was a team that had never won anything but knew it was going to be the best car in Formula 1.

“I had the same intuition at Ducati,” he said.

Lorenzo denied claims that he was paid an astronomical salary in his first contract with Ducati.

“In reality, it was 15% more than what I earned on Yamaha.”

“This change was not about money, no matter how much some people think it was.”

“That 15% didn’t change my life. It was more about motivation.”

“Things didn’t go well for me at Ducati.”

Four years after Lorenzo’s departure, Ducati ended a 15-season MotoGP title drought that stretched back to Casey Stoner in 2007.

Pecco Bagnaia brought the championship to the Italian manufacturer and two years later, Ducati remains the best bike in MotoGP.