Lorenzo looking to improve grip performance in mixed conditions

The Grand Prix of Spain got underway today at Jerez with mixed weather conditions providing a frustrating experience. The majority of the MotoGP riders were forced to sit out the morning session as track conditions which were not fully wet or dry meant no valuable set up data could be assessed. The second session in the afternoon proved equally frustrating, starting wet but gradually drying over the 45 minutes.

Championship leader Lorenzo spent the afternoon hunting extra grip from the rear as the wet tyres quickly degraded on the drying track. Team mate Spies concentrated on finding an optimum tyre set up for the first half of the session, also making some small set up adjustments in the hunt for optimum performance.

Jorge Lorenzo Position : 4th Time: 1’51.873 Laps: 13
“This morning we couldn’t practice and this afternoon it was wet and then finally drying at the end. In these conditions we are not so good because the middle of the tyre is dropping a lot, after eight or ten laps we don’t have any more grip so we have to slow the pace. We have to work on that for Sunday if the conditions are going to be the same as today. If it rains with a lot of water then that’s one story but if it’s like today we are not the fastest so we need to gain some grip on the rear.”

Wilco Zeelenberg Team Manager
“A very strange first day in Jerez, this morning no practice and this afternoon a half/half practice, not completely wet and drying at the end which ruined the tyres. Difficult to say if we learnt much, we’ll have to wait until tomorrow and hope for either a completely wet or dry session. Today was in the middle, I wouldn’t say useless but nearly useless.”

Massimo Meregalli Team Director
“Unfortunately we didn’t have the perfect weather today. The first session was useless but we worked quite well in the afternoon. We found a balance that Ben liked and he seems quite satisfied with the set up so we’ll see for tomorrow. On Jorge’s side we are still hunting for some more grip from the rear in the difficult condition but we should make a step tomorrow.”

Source: Yamaha Racing