Jorge Lorenzo working on 'big weak points' with Ducati MotoGP bike
Jorge Lorenzo believes that he and Ducati are separated from Yamaha and Honda at the top of MotoGP by "one or two big weak points"
Jorge Lorenzo believes that he and Ducati are separated from Yamaha and Honda at the top of MotoGP by "one or two big weak points".
Lorenzo joined Ducati this year after winning three championships with Yamaha in nine seasons, but he has found the switch challenging.
After five of the year's 18 races he is eighth in the championship, 47 points behind his Yamaha replacement Maverick Vinales at the top, and two spots and 16 points off team-mate Andrea Dovizioso.
Ducati had hoped to make a significant improvement on mid-corner performance this season, but it still trails the leading bikes, while Lorenzo has found making the most of its braking capabilities one of his bigger tasks.
Asked by Autosport how he judged his progress and results so far, Lorenzo said: "Difficult, in general very difficult.
"But I don't give up, I am keeping the right mentality, pushing the team.
"The team is working unbelievably, they know what I need and we are getting that.
"I'm getting more used to the bike, I'm playing more with the bike every time; we just need to improve one or two big points to stay there with the top guys.
"We change our lot our possibilities depending on the track, but in general we need something more to be more competitive during a whole race."
Lorenzo salvaged sixth place at Le Mans from 16th on the grid, that tough weekend coming a fortnight after taking his maiden podium with third at Le Mans.
He admits there is still more for him to adapt, but that improvements from Ducati are also important.
"For the moment, I just can adapt my riding to get the maximum with the bike we have," he said.
"When we will try something new, that can improve our one or two big weak points, then we can improve also the bike [specifically] for me and for Dovi.
"Until this happens, I can adapt my style as much as possible to get the maximum out of the bike we have."
Andrea Iannone wants spinning solution for Suzuki's MotoGP bike
Valentino Rossi still in 'severe' pain ahead of Mugello MotoGP
Pol Espargaro doesn’t think Honda is reacting to MotoGP woes
Pol Espargaro isn’t sure the problems Honda is facing at races in MotoGP this season are being relayed back to Japan as “we’re not getting the material we need”.
Marc Marquez to return to MotoGP paddock at Austrian GP for Honda progress update
Marc Marquez will return to the MotoGP paddock at the Austrian Grand Prix to check up on Honda’s progress as he continues his own rehabilitation.
Rins “destroyed” after “not normal” grip issues end Silverstone MotoGP win hopes
Suzuki’s Alex Rins says he was “destroyed” after a “not normal” drop in grip shuffled him from the lead of the MotoGP British Grand Prix to seventh by the end.
Espargaro diagnosed with heel fracture after 115mph Silverstone MotoGP crash
Aprilia has confirmed Aleix Espargaro, following further medical checks on Monday, has been diagnosed with a heel fracture following his violent 115mph Silverstone MotoGP crash.
The signs Quartararo’s 2022 MotoGP title is slipping away from him
Prior to the summer break, the 2022 MotoGP title looked like it was Fabio Quartararo’s to lose. But a crash at Assen and the consequential penalty he had to serve last weekend at Silverstone stopped him from capitalising on a main rival’s injury woes, while a resurgence from another, plus the rise of a former team-mate, look set to conspire against the Yamaha rider
Why Marquez’s toughest MotoGP foe is stopping at the right time
On the eve of the British Grand Prix, Andrea Dovizioso announced that he will be retiring from MotoGP after September’s San Marino GP. The timing of his departure raised eyebrows, but his reasoning remains sensible and what has happened this year should not diminish a hard-built legacy
Why a Suzuki refugee feels he deserves MotoGP's toughest challenge
Alex Rins’ MotoGP future was plunged into sudden doubt when Suzuki elected to quit the series at the end of 2022. Securing a deal with Honda to join LCR, he will now tread a path that many have fallen off from. But it was a move he felt his status deserved, and it’s a challenge – he tells Autosport - he faces with his eyes wide open…
How Formula 1 has driven MotoGP's changing nature
The hiring of technicians from Formula 1 has clearly contributed to a recent change in the MotoGP landscape, with the role of engineers gaining greater significance relative to the riders. Here's how this shift has come about
The revolution behind Aprilia's rise from MotoGP tail-ender to pack-leader
Coinciding with the arrival of Massimo Rivola as head of its MotoGP division, Aprilia has undergone an internal revolution that has spurred it from occupying last place in the team standings to leading the table in the space of just two years. Those entrenched in the project reveal how the ex-Ferrari F1 chief has achieved the dramatic turnaround
The battle Yamaha's wayward son is fighting to be fast again in MotoGP
Franco Morbidelli was long overdue a promotion to factory machinery when it finally came late last year, having finished runner-up in the 2020 standings on an old Yamaha package. But since then the Italian has been a shadow of his former self as he toils to adapt to the 2022 M1, and recognises that he needs to change his style to be quick on it
Why Honda and Yamaha have been left behind in MotoGP's new era
The once all-conquering Japanese manufacturers are going through a difficult period in MotoGP this season. With Suzuki quitting, Honda struggling to get near the podium and Yamaha only enjoying success courtesy of Fabio Quartararo, Japanese manufacturers have been left in the dust by their European counterparts. Key paddock figures explain why.
Who is Valentino Rossi’s newest MotoGP star?
Valentino Rossi’s protégés stole the show at Assen as Francesco Bagnaia stormed to victory to arrest a recent barren run. But it was the rider in second, on Bagnaia’s old bike, who had all eyes on him. Securing his and the VR46 team’s first MotoGP podium, Marco Bezzecchi has all the characteristics that made his mentor special