An unfortunate retirement and a top-10 finish in eighth place came for Jorge Lorenzo and the Q8 Hi Perform Team last weekend in the fourth round of the Porsche Carrera Cup Italia in Monza. The three-time MotoGP champion from Mallorca has started the second half of his second season at the wheel of the 911 GT3 Cup of Team Q8 Hi Perform, confirming himself as one of the constant and most combative protagonists, now fully in the points zone and increasingly willingly among the leaders 10.
Although the level, in terms of quality and attendance, has risen further compared to last year but also only compared to the two previous races before the summer break.
In the Temple of Speed there were as many as 37 competing for the podiums and points in the two races, complete with protagonists of the Supercup, and in Lorenzo one of the two races was ruined by a contact with Malucelli on the Lesmo 1, otherwise in all likelihood the outcome of the weekend would have been better (it certainly is compared to last year, when he finished out at Ascari).
It was Saturday and the Spaniard, as he did in race 2, was already fighting in the top-10 after a good initial part of the race. As he himself explains, the crux of his weekend in Monza is the fact that he paid for a less than ideal qualification: “I expected a little more in official practice, we didn’t find a perfect setting and then I made the wrong strategy: I tried to follow Iaquinta but he does a tire warm-up which isn’t good for me, so for the next races I’ll try to do it alone”.
The best things were seen during the races: “In competition – Lorenzo continues – starting 13th and 12th there was no opportunity to go fast, but at least in race 2 we finished eighth, lapping 8 tenths off the pace of Ten Voorde, who is very fast. It’s not a spectacular result, but we consolidated a good result, a deserved and real position in a race without a safety car.
“The level has increased – he concludes –, but I had riders like Cerqui, Malucelli and Bertonelli behind me, they are all race and championship winners, so good. Everyone is going faster this year plus Iaquinta, Ten Voorde and others weren’t there last year (Masters from the Supercup was also added to Monza, ed.). Even if it’s more complicated now, I’d like to get my first top-5 and possibly, with a bit of luck, even the podium.”.
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