Lorenzo struggling for rear grip

The Spaniard, who had gone an impressive fourth fastest in the damp morning session, was the slowest Yamaha rider when the track dried out, ending the day 15th overall.

"Today has been strange because usually I'm not so fast in the wet but fast in the dry; today was the opposite!" he said. "I don't really know what happened this afternoon but I felt like I didn't have enough grip in the rear on the entrance to the corner and so I didn't have enough confidence to go fast.

"It felt a bit like in Donington and Assen," he added. "We're working hard now in the team and together with Michelin and we gathered a lot of data so I hope that tomorrow we will be able to find a way to improve it.

"I know that I also need to work on my riding style a bit for this track. Anyway, it seems that tomorrow it will be hotter so I think this will help us as well."