Sachsenring to prove Lorenzo, Ducati progress?

If any circuit can prove the extent of the recent progress made by Jorge Lorenzo and Ducati, it is this weekend’s Sachsenring round.

The five-time world champion has never won at the German venue in any of his 15 appearances, covering the 125, 250 and MotoGP classes.

The only other circuits on the calendar where Lorenzo has not yet won are the more recent additions: COTA, Termas de Rio Hondo and Red Bull Ring (not counting Buriram).

Meanwhile, Ducati’s only Sachsenring victory was with Casey Stoner in 2008.

Yet Lorenzo is confident he and the GP18 are now working in a way that will be ‘competitive on all circuits’, despite only managing eleventh in last year’s German race.

“We have improved as the months have gone by, always working well, and I think that now we have a technical package that will allow us to be competitive on all circuits,” said Lorenzo, who took back-to-back wins in Mugello and Catalunya and was again a race leader on his way to seventh at Assen.

“At Assen for example, where in recent years I hadn’t scored good results, we were in the lead of the race for a lot of laps and we came close to the podium. 

“I think that the situation will also be similar at the Sachsenring: it’s a circuit where on paper we could struggle but where we will try in any case to get the best result at all costs. 

“It’ll be vital to find a good set-up already on Friday to start the German weekend well.”

Team-mate Andrea Dovizioso also struggled at the Sachsenring last season, crossing the line 20-seconds from victory in eighth.
 
“The Sachsenring is a track that in the past has created a few problems for us and, like in the Netherlands, once again we will have to make a good analysis of the behaviour of the tyres,” said the Italian, who felt late-race traction let him down at Assen.

“This year I think we will be quicker than in 2017, as we demonstrated at Assen where we expected to be competitive and we were, but it’s the rear tyres that make all the difference and we’ll have to wait for the first practice sessions to get a better idea of the situation. 

“The Sachsenring is not one of my favourite circuits and I don’t have a good feeling with the track, but in any case I’ll try and get the best possible result.”

Dovizioso is fifth and Lorenzo seventh heading into the final event before the summer break.