Jorge Lorenzo has urged Ducati to switch their development philosophy to that of former team Yamaha’s, the Spaniard calling for more work to be done on the Desmosedici’s chassis.
The triple MotoGP world champion has found life at Bologna difficult since the start of the year, the Spaniard struggling through testing and only scoring 13 points from the first three grands prix.
Lorenzo is famed for his incredibly smooth style, which relies on a motorcycle that can allow him to carry as much corner speed as possible. The Desmosedici GP does not handle like this, and it is this characteristic that has been the cause of his woes.
A change in seating position made during the Argentina weekend allowed Lorenzo to naturally put more weight over the front-end, which meant he could ride the bike a little more how he would like. Results were still poor a fortnight later in Texas, however, and he has now called on Ducati to prioritise chassis development over engine and electronics.
“Yamaha and Ducati are two very different manufacturers, with two different philosophies,” Autosport.com reported the Spaniard as saying.
“Yamaha was obsessed with the chassis, with making the rider’s life easier. Ducati, on the other hand, has opted over the past 10 years to produce the most powerful engine and to manage it with good electronics.
“Maybe now we need to change priorities and, apart from continuing to develop the engine, try new types of chassis to make turning easier and make the rider’s life easier.”
Lorenzo will be hoping the data collected from a private test last month will make his life easier at his home round in Jerez this weekend. The Spaniard has won at Jerez five times in his career, twice in the 250cc class in 2006 and 2007, and three times in MotoGP in 2010, 2011 and 2015.
However, the 4.4km Spanish circuit has not been kind to Ducati in recent years, the Italian marque’s last podium at Jerez coming back in 2011 and its last win over a decade ago in 2006. Despite this, Lorenzo is feeling relatively confident ahead of the fourth round of the championship.
“Jerez is one of my favourite tracks, I have excellent memories of it, and I’ve scored a number of wins there, but it is also true that it’s not the most favourable track for Ducati.
“We are analysing all the data, including that from recent tests at this circuit, to carry on working on the bike and improving our competitiveness.
“I can’t wait to feel the warm support from the Spanish crowds and ride a Ducati for the first time in front of my fans.”
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