Jorge Lorenzo hasn’t adapted quickly to the demands of a Desmosedici. It required him to brake in a different way - using the rear for the first time in his MotoGP career - and his ‘butter’ corner-speed riding style is not what it required.

The learning curve has been steep and some inside Ducati’s satellite teams feared he would never win a race for them. The opening laps of Brno’s race, in the tricky conditions Lorenzo usually falters, saw him able to pass and gap Marc Marquez on a tyre one compound more sticky in the opening few turns. Then it dried out and his plan went down its usual path. But it showed a turn of pace.

This weekend, Lorenzo and Ducati head to a happy hunting ground for the Borgo Panigale factory: Austria’s Red Bull Ring. Andrea Iannone won there in fine style last year, using brute force and aero to win by a second from works Ducati team-mate Andrea Dovizioso while the Yamahas were three and four seconds back. And the Honda of Marquez 12s adrift.

Admittedly, the wings are gone but Lorenzo has raced and tested a new pair, and he likes, so this weekend he has as good chance as any of bagging his first win.

On Sunday I think I had options to win the race, but I was unlucky that the conditions changed and it became a flag-to-flag race, which for me is always tricky,” said Lorenzo speaking after Brno

“If we had the race in the rain I think we had a chance to win. But obviously I would like to win also in the dry and Austria is the track theoretically better for the Ducati. Let’s see if I am ready enough to fight for the win.

“I would like to have Austria at the end of the season, because I would be more prepared and natural with the bike. It’s better now than the first round. I think we arrive in a good point because we found something on the bike that gives me more confidence. I’m faster and more consistent.”