Jorge Lorenzo will be starting from way back, precisely from the 19th position on the grid, at the end of a qualifying session that put him to the test. If, on one hand, Jorge has to deal with a Honda that is far from his expectations, on the other, there's the physical aspect that makes him anxious.

"It's difficult to understand the improvements from the outside," Jorge said. "But I can say that, compared to the previous races, there have been small steps forward. In free practice, I focused on my pace for a few laps, trying to remain with the top ten. Physically, I was worse off in other circumstances. I think I'll feel better on Sunday."

So Lorenzo's ideas are very clear.

"I'll try to keep a good pace, making sure that the tire won't wear out more than it should and trying to stay close to the other riders. So, a good start, and trying to be constant ,will be important to have the right pace for the final race, therefore, preserving the tire."

As mentioned, besides Honda, Jorge is also fighting with his body.

"The pain is there, but I feel better each time, especially in terms of strength, since I can recover quickly from one session to another. This is the slowest recovery of my career, caused by a serious injury, but I'm gradually making progress. The important thing is to try to reduce the gap from the best and have good sensations."

The road will be long for the rider from Mallorca, even if he tries not to get discouraged.

"Speaking with others who had this type of injury, I was told that it's a long road in terms of recovery. It would take six to seven months longer. I'm trying not to give up, and I'm trying to get competitive again."

Audio recorded by Marco Caregnato