Tensions on the track with his teammate Marc Márquez and the progress noted on his Honda after his visit to Japan which caused a lot of talk, these are the essential elements which brightened Jorge Lorenzo's day during this second day of the Catalan Grand Prix . Well almost…
The official Honda driver, Jorge Lorenzo, received new parts for its RC213V in Catalonia. Furthermore, his strategy bore fruit. The Repsol Honda factory rider had abandoned the use of soft rear tires on Friday afternoon, settling for 13th place, but he produced his effort during the FP3 Saturday morning. The Mallorcan managed to settle in 10th place, losing only 0,4 seconds on the Suzuki rider's best time. Alex Rins.
That being said, he also finished just behind Marc Márquez which he embarrassed, provoking the wrath of his teammate who went so far as to suggest a sanction against Por Fuera. On this bickering, the accused replied: “ He says I should be punished? I will not fuel the controversy. These are things that happen on the track. Sometimes you are the perpetrator, other times you are the victim ».
During qualifying, Lorenzo progressed with a 1'40.199 min, which puts him in tenth position on the starting grid. Jorge Lorenzo now has a good chance of reaching the top ten in a race, and it would be the first time this season.
« We have worked to make me feel better on the bike, the first effects are obvious. We haven't taken a big step forward. But the new tank gives me more comfort. I can now be a little more aggressive, with a little more speed and a little more consistency. But we still have to improve”.
Lorenzo is the only Honda rider to use a soft front tire, while others rely on medium and hard compounds. “ In 2018, the bitumen was new here. It looks like the surface is already worn, so we have less grip. I don't know if this has a negative effect on soft tires. I tried medium and soft mixes front and rear. At the moment I feel safer with the soft tires, especially in a leaning position. But I haven't decided yet. We need to study this in detail during the warm-up ».
Takaaki Nakagami, from the LCR team, uses a 2018 bike which is said to allow more speed in corners. “ This year's bike has negative and positive points,” said Jorge. “But the new bike has a lot more potential if we can improve in certain areas. Besides, I don't really care about Nakagami. I would prefer to look at other Honda riders who have more experience with this machine. Especially Marc, because he is the fastest ».
MotoGP Catalonia J2: classification
