Lorenzo confident of repeating Catalunya speed

The race may have ended disastrously, but Jorge Lorenzo is confident that improvements found during a competitive showing in Catalunya mean he can 'again have the speed' at Assen this weekend.

A spectacular opening lap saw Lorenzo make the most of his soft tyres as he burst through from tenth to fourth place in the Barcelona race.

It the first time Lorenzo has featured near the front of a race since joining Repsol Honda -and he soon launched an attack on Maverick Vinales for third place, at the end of the back straight.

But Lorenzo was caught out when team-mate Marc Marquez simultaneously passed Andrea Dovizioso for the lead, the move prompting the Ducati rider to adjust his line into Turn 10.

Realising he was on course to collide with the Italian, Lorenzo grabbed more front brake, causing him to lose the front and take out not only Dovizioso but also the Yamahas of Vinales and Valentino Rossi.

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Physical pain was added to the race day regret when Lorenzo slammed into the air fence during the following official post-race test, but he returned to complete the test schedule and is now eyeing another competitive weekend on the RC213V.

"We come here after our most consistent weekend of the year in Barcelona," Lorenzo said.

"The end result was not as we wanted, but all weekend we were able to be competitive and keep improving the bike, this is what I want to do again this weekend.

"If we continue to work in this way with the Repsol Honda Team, we can again have the speed like we did in Barcelona.”

Lorenzo's second non-score of the season means he is only 15th in the world championship, with a best Honda race finish of eleventh.

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The new tank 'wings' on Lorenzo's Honda in Catalunya, to brace his legs and help take weight off his arms during braking.