Seven days before the MotoGP™ class of 2024 start rumbling out of pitlane at the Qatar Airways Grand Prix of Qatar, five-time World Champion Jorge Lorenzo joined motogp.com's Jack Appleyard and Matt Birt for a chat on 'The Big 2024 Preview' show. 

The MotoGP™ Legend offered his expert thoughts on some of Ducati's stars and how they're shaping up ahead of the new season. The Italian marque have enjoyed two stellar years in the premier class, with Francesco Bagnaia (Ducati Lenovo Team) pocketing two World Championship titles along the way. 

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Lorenzo spoke in-depth about how impressive the #1 has been and drew a particular similarity between himself and the Italian. 

"I think Pecco is that kind of rider who is like a robot, similar to how I was," began the three-time premier class title winner. "They need everything perfect to feel strong and when they feel strong, they’re unbeatable.

"The two titles he’s won have made him believe in himself much more and now his confidence is in the sky. He knows the bike perfectly because since 2019 he’s been on the same bike, he’s made the evolution of the Ducati in the last few years and Ducati have taken his notes to create the bike to his riding style, so this is very important.

"That’s what he’s done this pre-season – try to show his rivals that he’s still the best, still the number one, to make them put their head down and not improve their confidence. I think his strategy was perfect but now it’s time for racing."

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After stringing together a faultless pre-season, the question on most people's lips is this: can anyone stop Pecco from bagging a title hat-trick in 2024? Lorenzo - like many - has Pecco pencilled in as the favourite before a wheel is turned in anger, but the former Ducati race winner also predicts life won't be easy for Pecco in 2024. 

"Now people understand that Pecco is one of the best and one of the favourites. He has a top talent and as I said, when everything is under control, he’s able to be unbeatable at some tracks. So he is very strong, he’s already a two-time World Champion.

"But anyway this is MotoGP and they’re the best riders on the planet. Marc Marquez has the best bike, maybe not the best bike because he has the 2023 bike and it looks like the 2024 Ducati has improved a lot, but with the best company bike let’s say. Bastianini will feel better and Jorge Martin wants to become Champion for the first time, so for sure he won’t have an easy job. But we can’t deny that Pecco is one of the strongest and for me, at the moment, until someone does something he’s the favourite." 

Lorenzo's way of thinking is likely on the same wavelength of plenty ahead of lights out in Qatar. One rider who the Spaniard mentioned there ran him as close as possible last year though. Jorge Martin (Prima Pramac Racing) will be seeking revenge after his sensational 2023 campaign ended in heartbreak at the Valencia GP, and Lorenzo pinpointed where he thinks the #89 potentially lost the title last year - and why he has every chance to go one better in 2024. 

"For sure Jorge (Martin) made a big step forward from 2022 to 2023. He prepared himself more to be stronger and he worked a lot in pre-season, and he demonstrated it on the track. He was much more consistent, he didn’t have the ups and downs that he had in his first years in MotoGP and he was runner-up, fighting until the last race of the Championship.

"I think he couldn’t get it (the title) because of experience, maybe he was so emotional or a little bit overconfident, for example in Indonesia when he crashed while leading by three seconds. So in some circumstances, he needs to find a way to be calmer and not be so hot because one little mistake can cost you many points and make you lose the Championship. So if he learns to manage this situation he can be very dangerous for Pecco and the rest of the riders this year." 

Spoiler alert: Lorenzo backed Martin to win the title in his top three predictions before he left. See who else the famous #99 backed to grab a top three title place in 2024 by watching 'The Big 2024 Preview'. 

Lorenzo also offered his opinions on two riders who arguably head into 2024 with an underdog tag attached to them: Alex Marquez (Gresini Racing MotoGP™) and Fabio Di Giannantonio (Pertamina Enduro VR46 Racing Team). 

First, Lorenzo spoke positively about Alex Marquez. With older brother Marc joining him in the Gresini box, the limelight has - understandably - been focused on the #93's progress in pre-season. However, following a strong end to 2023 and a solid couple of winter tests, Lorenzo predicts that the #73 will make his sibling's life difficult in 2024. 

"There is always this common belief that Marc is quite a bit faster and more talented than his brother, but honestly when Alex is feeling strong, he’s able to do very good races and fight for victories, podiums and poles," commented Lorenzo. 

"He knows the bike more than Marc does, this will be a key for sure, and he is younger so his capacity to improve and get better is maybe a bit more than his brother, so it will make for a really nice competition between the brothers and I’m sure Alex can make Marc’s life difficult in some tracks during the year." 

Making fellow Ducati riders' lives difficult in the final few races of 2023 was Di Giannantonio. Many dubbed the Italian as the surprise of the season, and Lorenzo isn't in disagreement. 

"Yeah for sure Diggia was one of the biggest, if not the biggest, surprise last year. No one expected, maybe not even himself, that he was able to win a race like he did last year in Qatar.

"His progression from the middle of the season until the end was unbelievable. He just clicked with the bike and his results improved day and night. This demonstrated that you can never say the riders in MotoGP are bad riders, they can all at some moment demonstrate they are very competitive." 

As mentioned, you can watch 'The Big 2024 Preview' featuring Lorenzo on motogp.com to hear what else the 68-time Grand Prix winner had to say about the upcoming campaign.