Lorenzo rides with Yamaha R3 owners at BIC

Thin, almost pint-sized with a beaming smile and a child-like face, he could be anyone. But, standing there on that stage amidst all the clapping, cheering and screaming from the media, fans and everyone else who I fail to classify, ‘anyone’ just doesn’t cut it. How about special?

A film, a montage of the MotoGP season that's just ended, plays behind him only adding to that ‘special’ aura. In the film, there’s a fearless rider upfront in blue and white Yamaha leathers piercingly plastered with colours, sponsors and myriad other logos. He is riding clean, consistently and effortlessly - as if riding the near 300bhp, 350kmph manic machine were as easy as flicking a light switch. He looks invincible.

This rider is he, the man with the teenage demeanour occupying centre stage. Meet Jorge Lorenzo. The 2015 MotoGP World Champion. And a rider with racing skills to die for. He says consistency and a strong mental makeup, not to mention, fewer mistakes, is what helped him clinch the title this year. It wasn’t easy though, not with Valentino Rossi as his teammate and Marc Marquez, his fellow countryman, coming good towards the end of the season.

He was on stage here, at the BIC or the Buddh International Circuit, as part of his tour to promote Yamaha Motor India's flagship motorcycle in what can be classified as the affordable segment, the R3. Yamaha wanted to make its R3 owners feel special. And so they brought down Lorenzo, put him on an R3, and let him loose on the BIC with enthusiastic R3 owners in hot pursuit.

Of course, no one came close even though Lorenzo was riding as if he was out on a post dinner stroll. But, for the R3 owners having ridden with the champion himself, gotten a picture taken and having spent time speaking to a legend in the making, was more than they had bargained for.

Yamaha, which runs a One Make Championship with its R15 as part of the Indian motorsport calendar, also believes these visits by racing stars will give motorcycle racing in India a shot in the arm. This isn't the first time Yamaha Motor India has done this; the company had flown Lorenzo down in 2012 as well, again to bring Indian motorcycle racing fans closer to their heroes. And the reception that time round was equally overwhelming.

For me, after having met the champion, I can only say that no matter the funny memes with Marquez, no matter his smaller fan following compared to Rossi, and no matter his complete lack of charm, Jorge Lorenzo is a star. He is a truly gifted and skilled motorcycle racer and every bit deserving of that MotoGP title he has just won.

Pic Courtesy: Yamaha Motor India FB page.