Lorenzo believes new Ducati fairing is a step forward

Jorge Lorenzo used Friday’s free practice session at Brno to trial Ducati’s latest aerodynamic fairing design. While not as radical as the Hammerhead design trialled at Qatar at the start of the year, the new fairing is still eye-catching with large flat-sided ducts on either side. The design is an attempt to replicate the downforce created by last year’s winglets that were banned at the end of the 2016 season. 

Lorenzo began Friday’s FP2 session riding with the standard fairing before switching to the new fairing.

“I feel, just in five laps, that we have a better potential with this new fairing,” Lorenzo revealed after the run.

“It has been an interesting day. We tried the all-new [Hammerhead] fairing in Qatar and was more negative than positive, so that’s why we decided to put it away. “

Lorenzo said new few fairing design showed promise, and that if the conditions are suitable on Saturday, he will test it again. “Probably the fairing gave us some more tenths of speed.” 

“Tomorrow I would like to make more kilometres, to try to understand which setting will be the right one, because we didn’t change the setting and for sure this new fairing asks for some modifications to try to gain especially more rear grip, because you have more front grip.”