Lorenzo improving 'little-by-little'

With two weeks and one private test having passed since a disappointing eleventh on his Ducati MotoGP race debut, Jorge Lorenzo arrives in Argentina 'with no limits in my mind' and looking for the next step forward.

"Little by little, even if the results are still more-or-less the same, I feel a bit of improvement every time," Lorenzo said on Thursday at Termas de Rio Hondo. "At the Jerez test I made another step forward, not only me but also the bike.

"We tried some new pieces in the bike that will probably give us both more speed in the future. So it was a positive day and we are closer to the pace we need to do."

Lorenzo wouldn't say exactly what the new pieces were and only commented briefly on trying the special yet-to-be-homologated 'hammerhead' fairing.

The radical design, aimed at replacing the lost downforce from last year's external wings, had "more or less the same positive and negative aspects [as at the Qatar test]" including a loss of top speed.

Asked if the low grip Jerez circuit would help him prepare for the dusty Termas track, Lorenzo replied: "It's not a question of only myself. The Ducatis in general; when there is grip they work better. But we have to create a bike that works in all conditions and we are trying.

"This track has a long straight where we can take profit. Historically it's been good for our bike. It's not one of my favourite tracks, but I arrive here with no limits in my mind and we'll try to be faster than previously.

"Track conditions will be changing constantly because first practice is normally very dirty and after 4-5-6 track sessions, in all the categories, the grip gets better and tyre life improves.

"We hope the people who live here are right and it doesn't rain!"

Confirming he had watched a replay of the Qatar race, Lorenzo also gave the following observations:

"Very difficult conditions that created a very slow race, probably [the leaders] couldn't be faster because of the tyres - the hard tyres were too hard for the conditions, and the ones with the soft tyres couldn't push from the beginning.

"But they were much faster than me, for the moment and I need to improve. I couldn't fight for the win or the podium. Maybe for seventh-eighth position but not so much more."

Team-mate Andrea Dovizioso finished second in Qatar, just 0.461s from Maverick Vinales (Yamaha).

Opening practice starts on Friday morning in Argentina.