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At other times, Lorenzo would have been furious with a 6th place time, but after everything that happened to him in the first races astride his Ducati, he accepts this result with a huge smile. “It is a breath of fresh air at a difficult time” the Majorcan sighed after the qualifiers in Austin.
“Finally a result that brings hope and joy. It has been a while since that has happened - he continued - It was not just a fast lap, but there was substance behind it. I improved my feeling in the saddle. Now I have more confidence and when I put on the soft tyres, I did three almost perfect laps. I received the confirmation I had hoped for.”
With the qualifiers successfully filed away, now Lorenzo must think about the race. And the precedents are less than optimal.
“I want to make a good start, but at the same time, I’ll need to be careful after Argentina because the first goal is to finish the race and get in some mileage - he points out - I think that we are already at the halfway point of our work. I do not want to do any more or less than my potential.”
But what is it, even aiming for the podium?
“Nothing is impossible, but I am realistic. A lot will depend on how I feel tomorrow and how the race goes - came the reply - There are a lot of unknowns and it will depend on what conditions we find. Right now I am not ruling out the possibility of using the soft tyre on the rear. This is a demanding track and the Ducati is a very physical bike, but I have never been more fit.”
Jorge, however, is also thinking of the future and what is needed to improve the Desmosedici.
“Right now, the sensations on the bike are more important than the final result - he emphasizes - The new position in the saddle is better, but for the future we need to make the bike easier for the rider.”
DOVIZIOSO: MARQUEZ AND VIÑALES ARE ON ANOTHER PLANET - On the other hand, the day was more complicated for Dovizioso, who will be on the first spot of the third row. Especially in FP4, when his GP17 stopped twice on the track, “There were some small problems - he explained without going into detail - and they happened at the same place. I even found the same marshal who gave me a ride back to the garage. In fact, I need to give him a riding lesson, because it took him forever to get me there” he joked.
However, these technical problems cost him valuable time.
“However, I was still able to go out and in a few laps I improved my feeling, so I am happy - he said - If I had to make a prediction now, we do not have the speed to finish on the podium, but in the race tyre wear will make the difference, so there is a chance. Viñales and Marquez are on another planet, though.”
Dovi is moderately pleased.
“Before arriving here I expected more, but after yesterday I don’t - he explained - It is a pity because of a mistake on the last lap in qualifying. I would have been able to get onto the second row, but with a good start we can sort everything.”
Andrea then commented on Lorenzo’s good performance.
“Jorge has always been one of the best on the new tyre. Even in 250 and over the years he has made progress. Plus, his confidence on the bike is growing.”
Lastly, he spoke about the bumps on the track.
“We talked about it yesterday in Safety Commission and today I spoke with Schwantz. Unfortunately, the problem is more serious than we expected because the heavy rains in the past months shifted the foundation under the asphalt. I think that it will be a difficult problem to solve in financial terms, but we are already at the limit now for racing and the situation could get worse next year” he concluded.
