Lorenzo to use British MotoGP as "training"

Jorge Lorenzo accepts he will treat the British MotoGP as “the best training I can get” to aid his recovery from injury after qualifying down in 21^st place at Silverstone.

While his Repsol Honda team-mate Marc Marquez charged to pole position, Lorenzo qualified second last, only ahead of Karel Abraham on the Avintia Ducati, while remaining around 3.5s off the pace of the front-runners.

Conceding he feels he has little to gain from taking risks to climb up the order, Lorenzo says he will use the British round as practice to train his body back to the physical level required to race in MotoGP having been out injured for the past two months.

After suffering fractured vertebrae in a crash during practice at Assen, Lorenzo has been absent with injury for the past four rounds plus the in-season test at Brno.

“It is always a risk when you jump on to a MotoGP bike but I am here to try to do the weekend and try to do the race because at race pace and a race distance it is the best training I can get to be able to train all muscles for future tests and races,” Lorenzo said.

“I think that tomorrow is going to be one of the only races in my life that the position isn’t going to be important. It doesn’t matter if I finish last or the slowest rider or if I finish one or two positions in front.

“Actually, trying to finish a few positions in front will mean much more risk and it is not worth it in my physical condition.

“I have the mindset to go there, take it like a practice session, the race, and get used to the bike again as much as I can. It is going to be very difficult to finish the race in my condition and it will be a very long and tough race but this is my mission so let’s see if I can do it.”

Lorenzo is also feeling the pain on his mental preparation knowing that he will actively avoid further risks and focus on completing laps rather than all-out racing at Silverstone this weekend.

“Together with the pain this is the worst thing now, this weekend, because obviously I am not used to this position, last,” he said. “It is also true that I am the only rider on the grid that has this injury and bad physical situation.

“So I need to be decent in my mind to try not to overcome my limits and risk it for nothing. That’s it. Try to ride, to do laps and to be able to work the muscles.

“A MotoGP bike is always the best training for the muscles so this is training for the Misano test in four days and the races ahead.”