Jorge Lorenzo says Yamaha erred by ending his MotoGP test rider role

Three‑time MotoGP world champion Jorge Lorenzo criticized Yamaha for terminating his test‑rider contract after just one season. Speaking on the Fast & Curious YouTube channel, Lorenzo said the Japanese manufacturer missed a valuable source of technical feedback that could have helped improve the struggling YZR‑M1 bike.

He acknowledged that after 18 years of intense competition he initially lacked full commitment to the role, but maintained that his experience could have provided “very important information” for the bike’s development. His comments come as Yamaha works on a new V4 engine to regain competitiveness, while rivals Ducati, KTM and Honda continue to rely heavily on seasoned test riders.

Lorenzo’s remarks highlight the strategic importance of experienced test riders in modern MotoGP and suggest that Yamaha’s decision may have hampered its technical progress.