Jorge Lorenzo disgruntled with new Bridgestone rear tyre

Jorge Lorenzo’s frustration with the performance of a new 2014- spec Bridgestone rear tyre continued in Sepang today, with the double MotoGP world champion clearly disgruntled to be down in fifth on the timesheets.

The factory Yamaha rider set a best time of 2.01.158 on a low grip surface today to finish 0.310s behind compatriot Alvaro Bautista.

Lorenzo has been one of the most vocal critics of the new Bridgestone rear tyre, which has been designed not to overheat in extreme track temperatures experienced in hot climates like tropical Malaysia.

Lorenzo said the new tyre was more dangerous than the version it replaced, and he expressed his frustration that the Japanese tyre manufacturer is unwilling to revert back to the 2013-spec.

When asked by MCN to explain what issues the new hard rear tyre was causing, Lorenzo said: “We don’t have confidence in the entry, no confidence in the middle of the corner and in acceleration the tyre makes a spin. So everywhere is much worse and I have much less confidence and you ride more scared and you get tired quicker.”

Lorenzo said his Yamaha crew had tried all available set-up options to improve his YZR-M1 on the new spec rubber but without any major breakthrough.

He added: “At the moment we don’t find any solution for the tyres that Bridgestone give to all of us and it seems that for Yamaha it is much worse. And they don’t want to provide other tyres and that will be the bad thing when we come back for this race. We have tried everything on the bike but when I go out on track it is always the same feeling. We are trying to speak with Bridgestone to make them change the tyre but for the moment they have a very closed mind on that and they don’t want to change. They think that this tyre is safer but for me it is the opposite. It is more dangerous. They don’t want to change. When you don’t have grip you can make gymnastics on the bike but the feeling will be the same.”