ON THE RECORD: Jorge Lorenzo Yamaha rider chimes in after a strong performance in the 2016 MotoGP season opener at Qatar.

Jorge Lorenzo dominated the opening round of the 2016 MotoGP season at Qatar, and says that the key to the race was tire choice. He opted for the softer compund tire.

The first race of the year could have been a step in the unknown, but even if the shoes are different with the change in tire supplier and electronics, the results didn’t change much. In the end, Jorge Lorenzo led the way and won the opening race of the Michelin and unified software era. The Yamaha rider didn’t have it easy and was unable to run away from the beginning—a favorite tactic of his. First he had to get back by the Ducatis after they’d used their top speed to come by him on the main straight early in the race, and then he had to manage the tires, which was a big factor for everyone in this race, regardless of the compound choices that each rider had made. With his result at Qatar, Lorenzo confirmed that he is the man to beat, and not only on paper. Here are his words following the win at Qatar. Michelin did a great job with the front tire. In the first test we couldn’t understand the limit, but in the last test it was a complete different story. The front has improved a lot and it’s true that the Michelin tires suit my style. I have always run smoothly, taking advantage of the corner speed. In the Qatar race we saw that the tires drop, but you can continue to have more or less the same pace. I’m really satisfied how I managed the tires when they dropped. There was a moment when I risked to crash, but I reacted promptly. The key to win the race was the tire choice. I was not comfortable with the hard front/hard rear option that Marc Marquez was using and allowed him to keep a high pace in FP4 and the warm-up. It was not an easy choice because my Michelin engineer had suggested me the hard option, but seeing that Maverick Viñales (Suzuki) and the factory Ducatis were riding with the soft, I decided to take this chance. It was a gamble but it proved to be the winning move. In the end, when the tires dropped, I could keep a fast pace and I set the track record (race record) with a laptime of 1:54.927 on lap 20. I was determined to go faster and faster every lap and I belived that I could make it. Determination and self confidence allowed me to lap 1:55 low and 1:54.9 when the tire was not supposed to do that. If I wouldn’t have believed in my potential and in my Yamaha, I couldn’t have built the advantage on Dovizioso and run away in the last laps. My strategy was to try and run away since the beginning, but it was difficult in the first laps because the two Ducatis were equipped with the same tires that I had on. It’s incredible how fast the Ducatis were on the straight (Dovizioso reached 217.4 mph). The engine is even more powerful than last year. With 9 or 11 mph less I had to be patient, and at the beginning I had to stay behind them, even though I knew that Marquez was getting closer and would have tried to pass me. When I saw Iannone crashing and Dovizioso slowing down a bit in some corners, I decided to pass him before the turn 4, where I knew he was faster. I passed Andrea and tried to build some margin to avoid that he would have passed me back on the straight. I took advantage of my Yamaha’s strong points to compete with the Ducati’s horsepower. In particular the corner speed. I ran smoothly, and I was focused and patiently waiting that Iannone and Dovizioso start to lose a bit in the corners to attack them. Seeing Iannone’s crashing was also a warning to remain patient. My M1 hasn’t changed a lot compared to last year. But this is Yamaha’s philosophy. It’s important that when you change something it brings an improvement. Of course we could think at improving the top speed, especially in some fast circuits like Losail in Qatar, Phillip Island, or Sepang, where we struggle more, but we know that with the frozen engines it won’t be possible. I have always said that the Ducati is a great bike. The GP16 is very competitive and has the best engine on the grid. They have two very good riders. This is the only thing I can say. Maybe in this moment they don’t have an experienced rider able to win the  championship, but Qatar’s result doesn’t change my decision about the future. Valentino Rossi says that to join Ducati I should have the [explicit]? I prefer not to answer for the respect I have for Yamaha. The best answer are the race results and you have seen in Qatar what I’m capable of. One image is worth thousend words. I prefer to keep on speeking with the track results. It was important to start well. Winning the first race gives you a lot of confidence. You can start building a gap instead of having to chase. The decision to change the tires at the very last minute and the determination to go faster and faster evry lap allowed me to win the race. I am starting the 2016 championship better than the last two seasons. Argentina, but especially Austin have been two difficult circuits for Yamaha, especially in the last two years. But sometimes things can turn differently and we can finish on the podium, waiting for other circuits to come that suit better Yamaha and my riding style.

Gadget Reviews: mamaktalk.com
Car Reviews: automoview.com
Entertainment News: 38now.com
Today's Promotions: freepromotoday.com