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MotoGP, Lorenzo: The 2018 Ducati is a masterpiece

"The record time is the result of my work and the engineers'. It is not a surprise, I never doubted that we could do it"

MotoGP: Lorenzo: The 2018 Ducati is a masterpiece

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How does it feel to be the fastest man in the world on two wheels in Sepang? Lorenzo plays it down, “It wasn’t a perfect lap – there is no such thing – just a great lap.” In any case, the clock stopped at 58”830 and no one had ever seen that before.

The Jorge-Ducati duo is on the right path and if they wisely cannot yet sing a victory song after just 3 days of testing on a track that favours them both, on the other hand, they can go home knowing that everything is going in the right direction.

Jorge, is there more Lorenzo o Dall’Igna in that record time?
I am the same rider as a year ago, but now I understand the bike more. In Borgo Panigale, they worked hard, improving the weak points of the Desmosedici. I would say that it is the result of efforts on both sides. I am proud of this step forward. The new bike is a masterpiece.

Are you surprised?
No, because I never doubted my potential, even when I struggled and finished races outside the top ten. I always thought that it was a question of time and adapting, of making a bike that would be better for my riding style.”

What have you demonstrated?
That the engineers worked hard, not only over the winter, but last year too. In 2017 there wasn’t enough time to bring big upgrades to the table. Now they have arrived and everyone likes the new bike, especially me, with my particular riding style.”

What will your mind-set be as you get on the plane to go home?
I will be very happy because this bike lets me fully express my potential.”

The only thing missing was a race simulation…
I did 8 laps in the penultimate outing and 4 in the last. I wanted to see what would happen with several laps in a row, but I had a technical problem.”

Do you feel at ease?
Our rivals are fast and we still haven’t ridden in a race. We need to keep working. In modern MotoGP, things can change quickly. The important thing is to have a balanced, reliable and competitive bike on every track.”

Translated by Jonathan Blosser
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