Get unlimited access for free
You have only 5 articles remaining to view this month.
Jorge Lorenzo has admitted that his first MotoGP races with Honda are likely to be “difficult”, despite making improvements on the second day of testing in Qatar.
Lorenzo was only 21st on the opening day of the Losail test, the three-time MotoGP champion saying he was still “very far” from feeling comfortable on his new RC213V bike.
He moved up to 18th on Sunday, improving his lap time by 1.3 seconds and almost halving the deficit to the lead rider.
Lorenzo said he made a step forward regarding his comfort on the bike, but still feels far from ideal.
“We improved the ergonomics of the bike,” said Lorenzo, who is still recovering from breaking his wrist in a training crash last month.
“We still have some way to go to feel perfect on the bike, but I feel better. I get less tired. At the end of the day the wrist was still painful so I needed to stop before and do not so many laps in the last hour.
“But apart from that I feel better physically and we improved the bike because we worked on some set-ups. In terms of feeling, working on the bike, a big step.
“The position is not fantastic but the important thing is we reduced the gap to the fastest one.
“In terms of riding by myself, improving the setting, improving the ergonomics, for sure we’re going to get closer.
“We don’t have so much time, just one day [left] of the winter. Maybe the first races will be difficult, but little by little, with patience, we will get there.”
Lorenzo revealed that he has been able to check the data of his team-mate Marc Marquez and also LCR Honda’s Cal Crutchlow, and that he is “worse in almost everything” for the moment.
He said: “All the days you check [the data], not only Marc but also Crutchlow. A lot of difference.
“He knows how to ride this bike and he rides it very well. For the moment, I am worse in almost everything, so little by little I will get closer.
“It’s completely different to my last [bike]. You need to ride differently. Hopefully it will be better for my riding, we will see in the future.”