The 2010 season marked Jorge Lorenzo's ascension to MotoGP supremacy, earning him his first premier class title with a campaign defined by unmatched consistency. With the Fiat Yamaha garage famously divided by a wall and his teammate Valentino Rossi sidelined by injury mid-season, Lorenzo seized the opportunity to shift the balance of power. He delivered a flawless performance, amassing a then-record 383 points, securing nine victories, and finishing on the podium in 16 out of 18 races, with his worst result being a fourth place.
The Yamaha YZR-M1 of 2010 is widely regarded as one of the most perfectly balanced motorcycles in racing history. While it lacked the raw top-end power of its Ducati and Honda rivals, it excelled in corner speed and handling. The bike featured Yamaha’s signature crossplane crankshaft engine, which provided a unique firing order that gave the rider a direct, intuitive connection between the throttle and the rear tire. This mechanical grip, combined with a refined chassis, allowed for the fluid, high-momentum cornering that became the hallmark of the M1's success.
Lorenzo’s riding style was the ideal match for the M1's characteristics, acting as the "scalpel" to the bike's precision engineering. Unlike the aggressive, sliding style of his rivals, Lorenzo rode with "butter-smooth" fluidity, braking early but releasing the brakes sooner to carry immense speed through the apex. His ability to hit the exact same line lap after lap allowed him to preserve his tires better than the competition, enabling him to maintain his relentless pace deep into races and secure his status as the new "King" of MotoGP.
*image(s) for illustration purposes. Actual product is 1:18 scale diecast model.
