Lorenzo - Title is devalued

Jorge Lorenzo believes this year's MotoGP world championship "has lost a little bit of its value" by the absence of Valentino Rossi.

The Italian rider, who is Lorenzo's team-mate at Fiat Yamaha, saw his hopes of defending the title ended when he broke his leg in a crash during practice at the last round in Mugello.

Lorenzo is now expected to fight it out with riders such as Dani Pedrosa and Casey Stoner during this weekend's British Grand Prix and throughout the rest of the season.

But the Spaniard says that any title win will be slightly tainted due to the fact that the champion would not have beaten Rossi in a straight fight.

Not easy

He said: "Winning a world title is always great, but without Valentino maybe the world championship has lost a little bit of its value.

"That's natural. Before, we had 17 riders and now we have 16, and of course the rider who crashed was Valentino, who has won so many titles. But it doesn't mean it is an easy job for me now.

"I think the best approach now is to keep improving my riding style and not to think about results or where the other riders are.

"Maybe I could win this championship with Vale on the track. We will never know.

"Before his crash I was leading the world championship. It could have happened. Now I will try to beat everybody who is left."

Despite Rossi - a seven-time world champion in the top class - being the undoubted star of the sport, Lorenzo says MotoGP will continue to thrive in his absence.

He added: "People are used to seeing Vale on track, but you know basketball is just as popular now as when Michael Jordan was playing.

"Maradona was the football star of the '80s, Pele the star of the '60s and the '70s. There are always these special superstars.

"But all sportsmen, unfortunately, we have to retire one day. The sport itself is the only thing that remains."