Dovizioso used Ducati’s new “box-kite” fairing for the first time at Brno tests on Monday after the race, and was cautiously positive. Today in Austria he had them from the start, and all caution was abandoned, as he used them to go fastest, and came home with a glowing report.

Ducati’s engineers had, he said, “done a really good job … managed to get close to the effect of last year’s winglets,” and working both in the dry in the morning and in the low-grip of the damp afternoon.

By Michael Scott

Lorenzo, new fairing, Czech MotoGP 2017