Jorge Lorenzo says he will “need more time” to adapt to the Honda in MotoGP amid a difficult debut HRC campaign, as the bike needs to be ridden in a way which is not "natural" to him.
The triple MotoGP world champion has scored just 11 points from his first four races in 2019 as a Honda rider, having managed a best result 11th in Texas and at Jerez a fortnight ago.
Lorenzo's woes in adapting to the RC213V have been compounded by a wrist injury sustained in the pre-season, which forced him out of the Sepang test and ensuring he would have just three days on the bike this year prior to the start of the season.
Reports in the Spanish press following Jerez suggested Honda has issued an ultimatum to Lorenzo, as it urges him to find an upturn in form or risk losing his seat at the end of the year.
Lorenzo admits finding a “connection” with the RC213V is proving “more difficult than expected”, and insists he simply needs time to adapt the bike to suit his riding needs.
“We know that the situation, my connection with the bike, is going to be more difficult than we expected,” said Lorenzo.
“I will need more time because it isn't a natural connection. I will need more time. It's important to be aware that it will not just happen in a natural way, like it has happened naturally at other times or like it has happened for other riders in other teams.”
He added: “The situation is the same as Zarco in that in his first MotoGP race [with Tech3 in 2017] he was at the front, and now with the KTM he is struggling.
“It's the difference between a bike that is natural and not natural in MotoGP nowadays, despite how close it is.”
Lorenzo says he removed something from the bike during the Jerez test which only he had been using, and which was not outweighing what he was losing in cornering.
While unconvinced this change will yield major improvements in form, he thinks it will help him in to utilise corner speed more, and says each small gain he makes must be considered a “small victory”.
“There was a part of the bike that I chose to have during the pre-season that the other Honda riders didn't have,” said Lorenzo.
“But, the areas in which we gained from having the part didn't outweigh what we were losing on corner speed.
“I don't think it's everything [we have been missing], but it will help me to be faster through the corners.
“The rest will come with more kilometres and from testing new things. We should consider every improvement as a small victory, and with time and kilometres we will find a greater evolution.
“The Honda is not going to be a natural bike for me; it needs later braking, sliding, lean angle, similar to how the Ducati wasn't natural for me. That's why I need more time.”
