New Honda fairing among Lorenzo updates

Fresh from an impressive, if ill-fated, early performance in the Catalunya MotoGP race, Jorge Lorenzo is set to receive more new parts from Honda at this weekend's Assen round.

The Spaniard's accident - which also brought down Andrea Dovizioso, Maverick Vinales and Valentino Rossi - means he is yet to take a top ten finish at Repsol Honda.

However, Lorenzo and the RC213V now appear to be finding some common ground, aided by a pre-Catalunya visit to HRC headquarters in Japan.

The first visible outcome of that trip came in the form of new tank wings to help brace Lorenzo's legs and take weight off his arms during braking and corner entry.

But Assen should see Honda hand Lorenzo his one fairing update for the season. And again, the emphasis will be on more 'support'.

"We will have here probably a new fairing," Lorenzo said on Thursday. "We are waiting for the confirmation, but probably tomorrow we will use a new fairing to give me a little more support. And some other little things.

"Let's try to keep up this better feeling that I’m having with the bike, including the new pieces that we will include this weekend. More pieces than in the Montmelo grand prix. So hopefully we can be closer to the top guys."

At present it seems that only Lorenzo will use a fairing update this weekend, with team-mate and title leader Marc Marquez set to remain on the standard fairing.

Fairings can be personalised for each rider, so Marquez's update - when it arrives - could well be different to Lorenzo's new fairing.

Ducati is also thought to have a fairing update available, but Yamaha riders have already used both of their 2019 designs.

While Lorenzo will be hoping his bike is in better shape than ever this weekend, the triple MotoGP champion won't be in peak physical condition after a heavy fall at the Barcelona post-race test.

"It was a big crash and I was very sore in my chest and back. Luckily I could finish the test and try all the things that we had to test. Unluckily, not in the best condition," he said.

"Here I feel better, but still a little bit sore in those parts of my body. Hopefully I will recover and be completely fit for the Sachsenring."