French MotoGP: Lorenzo opts for “evolution” 2018 Ducati frame
Jorge Lorenzo has backed ൩Ducati’s 2018 modified frame having verified performance gains during Fᩚᩚᩚᩚᩚᩚᩚᩚᩚ𒀱ᩚᩚᩚriday practice at Le Mans from the recent private Mugello test.
The Ducati rider says he will stick to using the “evolution” 2018 Ducati GP18 ⛎bike chassis as it prov💯ides better feeling during cornering while also giving greater stability over bumps.
Jorge Lorenzo has backed Ducati’s 2018 modifie💦d frame having verified performan🌜ce gains during Friday practice at Le Mans from the recent private Mugello test.
The Ducati rider says he w𒁃ill stick to using the “evolution” 2018 Ducati GP18 bike chassis as it provides better feeling during cornering while also giving greater stability over bumps.
The three-time MotoGP world champion sneaked into the provisional Q2 spots in 10th place after the second free practice ahead of the French round at Le Mans with his best la💜p time over six-tenths of a second off Ducati teamꦿmate and timesheet-topper Andre Dovizioso.
Lor💝enzo feels his single lap pace was somewhat thwarted by incorrect set-up tweaks during his fresh sꦏoft tyre run at the end of FP2 which failed to provide significant gains but is content with the progress made on the new chassis which he trialled at the recent Mugello test.
“It is different from the other one,” Lorenzo said about the second GP18 chassis. “It improves the feeling in the corner and the 🔥middle of the corner plus it helps with the bumps better. It doesn’t change so much but it is better so we are going to keep it.
“Even if it is fine this weekend it will be difficult because we don’t have two new chassis so it is difficult now to make the [like-for-like] comparisons and to make changes on the bike. From Mugello we will have two chassis so it will be easier to try different sett🃏ings.”
Despite failing to find satisfactory lap time gains due to set-up switches, Lorenzo is still optimistic with Ducati’s progr﷽ess and feels he can be at a simil🅺ar level to Jerez where he initially led the race before battling for podium places against Dovizioso and Dani Pedrosa until all three tangled and crashed out.
“I could only improve by three-tenths w♓ith the new tyres when normally we improve by more than half a second,” he said. “Let’s see tomorrow if we can get on to the first or second rows, that will be great for Sunday’s race.
“We are more or less at the same point as we were in Jerez so that is a po💞sitive feeling.”
