The Sachsenring is not a circuit that has been well matched to the Ducati in the past, but despite this Ducati rider Jorge Lorenzo is heading to the track feeling optimistic.
The German Grand Prix will be round 8 of the 2018 MotoGP World Championship, and Lorenzo has already secured two wins in contrast to his winless campaign last season in his first year with Ducati.
Five-time world champion Lorenzo has won at most circuits on the MotoGP calendar, but the Sachsenring is one he is yet to conquer. The Spaniard took 4 second places at the circuit from 2009-2012 on the Yamaha and is now looking to be more competitive with the Ducati.
“We have arrived half-way through the season with quite a positive balance-sheet: we have improved as the months have gone by, always working well, and I think that now we have a technical package that will allow us to be competitive on all circuits.” said Lorenzo.
“At Assen for example, where in recent years I hadn’t scored good results, we were in the lead of the race for a lot of laps and we came close to the podium.
“I think that the situation will also be similar at the Sachsenring: it’s a circuit where on paper we could struggle but where we will try in any case to get the best result at all costs.
“It’ll be vital to find a good set-up already on Friday to start the German weekend well.”
As Lorenzo says, the competitiveness of the Ducati at Assen bodes well for the Sachsenring. This year, the Ducati is working better at tracks they have struggled at in the past, and Lorenzo’s recent improvement in form certainly suggests he can get a strong result.
The top step of the German GP podium will most likely be occupied by Marc Marquez providing his weekend runs smoothly, with the Honda rider unbeaten in Germany since 2010. However, Lorenzo will have his sights set on finishing higher than the 11th place he achieved last year after qualifying P6.
