Lorenzo: Fourth in Austria my best race for Ducati in MotoGP

Lorenzo made the most of his second front row start of the season, taking the lead at the third corner and holding onto top spot for the next 10 laps of the Red Bull Ring race.

But the Spaniard's pace then started to drop off - which Lorenzo said was the result of a suspected fuel consumption issue - and he offered little resistance as team-mate and eventual race-winner Andrea Dovizioso plus Honda duo Marc Marquez and Dani Pedrosa worked their way past him.

While Lorenzo crossed the line six seconds down on Dovizioso, that margin was his smallest deficit to a winner so far this season.

"It's not the best result because Jerez I finished third," said Lorenzo.

"But in Jerez I finished 14 seconds from (Pedrosa), in Barcelona I finished nine to Dovi but this time just six seconds was the difference.

"Also, I was leading more laps than ever - 10 laps - [and] again I was on the first row.

"For the performance it's the best weekend. The best feeling, the best performance.

"We must be satisfied, but obviously I want more and my team wants more from me.

"We are making huge steps and I hope to make the last one I need in the Misano test."

Lorenzo said his fuel consumption issue had forced him to turn his engine dow from lap three, while he also began to lose grip on the right shoulder of his soft rear tyre towards mid-distance.

"Today there were two problems; we were very close with the fuel, so from lap three I needed to select the lowest power [engine map] and my bike was slower than normal," he explained.

"I lost so much in the straight compared to the three guys [Dovizioso, Marquez and Pedrosa].

"Then from lap 12, lap 15 I start losing a lot of traction on the right side and I needed to slow down.

"You never know if you've made the perfect decision on the tyre on the rear, because on the right side I lost so much traction."