Lorenzo: Only a matter of time before I’m there

Jorge Lorenzo has refused to be overly downcast after the first day of MotoGP free practice in Argentina, as the Majorcan could only manage the 21st fastest time in FP2.

Having experienced a similar chastening period at the beginning of life as a Ducati rider two years ago, Lorenzo admitted his current placing was “unpleasing” but is already looking ahead to Jerez, where he believes he will be approaching full fitness.

The main issue in Argentina wasn’t the respective wrist and scaphoid injuries, he said. Rather it was his lack of experience with Honda’s RC213V. The Termas de Rio Hondo Circuit, and its notorious lack of grip, has also played its part.

“Well, physically I am quite well,” began Lorenzo. “This morning I had a little pain in the wrist by forcing. Now I can force a little bit more so I create more effort in the wrist.

“This afternoon I took some painkillers so it was a little bit better. I probably need one, two or three weeks more to recover completely both injuries. But it’s not the real problem to be in this position; it’s more my inexperience with the bike together with a track I never liked.

“It’s difficult for me because the grip of the tarmac is really bad. It’s very slippery. I’m a rider that needs grip to take the maximum profit of my riding. So I always struggle here. Together with my lack of kilometres with the bike, and these injuries makes my life not so easy at this moment.

“But the difference with the fastest one is not so high. We’ll keep going. I will not lose the concentration or the patience because it’s a matter of time before I’m there.

“If before I had five or seven things I didn’t like about position on the bike, now I improved most of it and there are only a couple of things that can be improved for the future. So keep going and I will get better.”

Was he expecting to struggle here? “Yeah, a little bit,” he said. “I expected it. The position in the second practice is unpleasing but we need to put together many things, and understand a lot the bike. We still don’t understand.

“But you know, already now, when I don’t have experience, like in Qatar with good grip I can be in the front. I expect that when we go to Jerez I will be very competitive. These two races will be very difficult for me.

“But I’m going to try to get the best result, to get points, and to get experience with the bike without crashing.

“We need to be very patient at this moment. With more experience and more kilometres our moment will arrive. It’s very difficult as people and the team expect a lot from me because I am an official rider for Honda. But to force the things will not make it better.

“For sure the experience with Ducati makes me believe to keep believing and being patient pays off. Hopefully I can arrive to the podium and win races much before than it. Let’s work for that.”