MOTOGP: Lorenzo 'not comfortable' in Argentina

Yamaha's Jorge Lorenzo admits he did not feel comfortable in MotoGP's Argentinian Grand Prix before crashing out of the race early.

Lorenzo struggled in practice on a dirty circuit on Friday, but made inroads to qualify on the front row of the grid. Wet patches from overnight rain were still on the circuit during Sunday's shortened, flag-to-flag race with the rain also washing away rubber that had built up on the rarely-used Termas de Rio Hondo circuit.

The reigning world champion took the lead off the line, but relinquished it on the first lap and fell out of the lead pack, before crashing at Turn 1 on lap six. Having won the season opener at Qatar two weeks earlier, Lorenzo labelled it "a weekend to forget."

"We had problems during the practice sessions and finally we got a first row in qualifying and a good start, but with these conditions and wet patches in some corners I wasn't comfortable," he said. "I think it was my fault. As a rider, I didn't feel comfortable enough to stay in the first group and I saw them risking so much.

"I made a mistake in the first corner, which was more complicated, it was the corner with more wet patches and I went in a little bit too wide on this particular lap and just lost the front and couldn't continue.

"This is racing; sometimes you win, sometimes you lose. You have to accept it and think positive – just forget this race and think about the future."

The first corner caught riders out all weekend – Lorenzo and eventual race winner Marc Marquez having also crashed there on Saturday – and accounted for several falls in the race.

Among them, Suzuki's Maverick Vinales caught one of the wet patches while challenging Valentino Rossi for second and closing on his first MotoGP podium, with three laps to go.

"I'm both very sad and very happy," Vinales admitted. "Of course I'm sad with the final result, but I must be very, very proud of what we did.

"The race was going very well and it's a pity I couldn't finalize it. Unfortunately I hit a wet spot, going just a very little wider than the ideal line, and I paid the biggest price.

"It's hard to accept the crash when you feel so good and feel you can really get onto the podium. But at the same time this is the proof that we have made a huge progress and we are now ready to fight for the top."

Originally on Autosport.com