Former MotoGP Star Loses Around €200,000: Ferris Wheel Deal Goes Wrong in Italy

Jorge Lorenzo reports that an investment in a Ferris wheel in Vieste turned into a nightmare: payments were missed, leaving a gap of more than €200,000.

From Racer to Entrepreneur – and What Went Wrong

People know Jorge Lorenzo as a fast man on two wheels, not as the operator of fairground attractions. Yet the three-time MotoGP world champion found himself in a story that sounds more like a bad movie plot: a Ferris wheel in Vieste (Apulia), purchased, rented out – and then months with no reliable income.

What happened

Lorenzo says he invested around 1.4 million euros in the attraction and rented the Ferris wheel to a company. The contract ran for four years, but the agreed rents came only sporadically. "I apparently trusted the wrong person," he says in a TV interview that attracted a lot of attention in Italy. The payments arrived later and eventually stopped altogether.

The balance: More than €200,000 outstanding. According to Lorenzo, the last payment was received in September 2024. Since then, arrears have accumulated, and he has filed a report – civil and criminal.

Not a bargain, but trouble

That sounds like a botched business relationship. Especially on a warm evening on the piazza, when you have a glass in hand, such stories often sound harmless. In reality, however, there is work, lawyers and a lot of frustration behind it. Lorenzo himself came across tired and annoyed on the show. "I wanted to invest, create jobs, support the people on-site," he said roughly. Now the criminal proceedings remain to be seen.

Legal experts who know such cases warn of the usual traps: unclear contract clauses, lack of due diligence on the counterparty, and informal agreements that later are worth nothing. Such things affect not only small investors – celebrities can also fall prey to scammers.

What happens next?

The next steps are legal. Lorenzo apparently has filed both criminal charges and civil claims. Whether the claims can be fully settled is uncertain. One thing is certain: the money is gone, time has passed, and the trouble remains.

When people in the neighborhood talk to someone about investments, you now hear sentences like: "Check it out before you sign." Not a glamorous ending for a world champion, but more of a loud reality check. Above all, the case shows one thing: even those who succeed are not immune to human error and tricky business partners.

We will stay on it and report as soon as there are new developments from Italy or the courts.