Jorge Lorenzo believes the pressure is placed on Marc Marquez entering Valencia.

Reigning world champion Jorge Lorenzo insists the pressure ahead of this weekend’s MotoGP World Championship final round lays firmly upon the shoulders of rookie sensation Marc Marquez.

The Yamaha factory rider enters his home round of the season just 13 points in arrears of Marquez as the title goes down to the wire for the first time since 2006.

“So we come to the last race in Valencia,” Lorenzo said. “It’s going to be exciting, maybe the most exciting of all the season.

“We are still in the fight and that is the most important thing right now. I’m very stimulated because three races ago we thought the championship was over.

“Instead we have a chance to fight for the title. Valencia is my home race and it will be very emotional considering our position in the classification. We don’t have anything to lose but everything to win, and this card plays on our side.

“Maybe our main rival can feel much more pressure in Valencia than us because he is so close to victory. I look forward to riding there and pushing with all my force. If we can continue to ride at our level we can fight for the win and then wait for the circumstances.

“You never know what can happen, especially if the forecast is uncertain as it was last year. We trust in ourselves and we expect a good race in front of our fans. We will never give up until the end!”

Lorenzo has won the past two races in Australia and Japan, narrowing the deficit to Marquez by 40 points in a dramatic turn of events.