Ducati’s Jorge Lorenzo is getting more and more used to his forced change of riding style with the GP17 and says that using the rear brake - which he never did with the Yamaha - is now allowing a more fluid use of the bike which the Mallorcan put to good effect today at Jerez.
Lorenzo ended Friday’s MotoGP practice fourth on the timesheet with his free practice two time only two tenths behind Cal Crutchlow but - more surprisingly - he was only seven-tenths off the pace in the wet this morning.
"Little by little we are getting there and especially compared to the rest of the Ducati riders we are better than before. It's a good sign. I am more confident, that gives me the safety to push more almost everywhere. That's what I feel today in the last run,” said Lorenzo, speaking at the track.
"I enjoy it more when I am first or second or making the best laptimes. But in terms of riding, I am enjoying more because I am less tired, I am using more the rear brake, flowing more the entry to the corners.
"Also the riding position is better than it was the first two races. We are in a good way, and engineers keep working on the bike for the future.
“Probably today’s was my best practice session this season, especially because the sensations in the final run with a new tyre were very good. Every time I get on the Desmosedici the feeling gets better and better and, although we still have a lot of work to do, especially with used tyres and thinking of the future, today we finished positively and I was the first Ducati rider with fourth quickest time.
“It’s true that we are still some way off the leaders and that tomorrow we will have to confirm that we have made a step forward, but I think that we have margin for improvement.”
