Lorenzo: Ducati's 2018 progress "delayed" compared to rivals

Ducati was focusing on minor changes during the two-day Valencia MotoGP post-season test, the Italian team confirming the full Desmosedici GP18 will only be introduced next year.

In contrast, Honda tried 2018 prototype engine and chassis and Yamaha also trialled a new power unit.

Lorenzo thinks Ducati's rivals, mainly Honda, are a step ahead at the moment.

"Maybe we are a little bit more delayed than the others," said Lorenzo. "The others, they tried new engines, new chassis this time.

"Honda especially, looks like they improved a little bit and we still don't have something new, brand new.

"It is because the engineers for some reason, they have this little delay and probably will have to take benefit of that at Sepang in one month and a half.

"For sure something will arrive probably in Sepang [in 2018]."

"Semi-new" Ducati not an improvement

Lorenzo said the small updates that were evaluated during the two days of testing did not make the bike stronger.

"The semi-new bike for the moment doesn't work better than the actual [current] one," Lorenzo added.

"[On Wednesday], like yesterday we tried many things, more or less we confirmed the same pieces, the same things.

"Finally, we didn't find anything particularly better but was important to try to be sure how everything [was]."

Lorenzo's teammate Andrea Dovizioso said Ducati used the test more to decide the direction of the 2018 bike, rather than bring any major updates.

"We tried small things, unfortunately we didn't have the '18 bike here to really start the season," said Dovizioso.

"We just wanted to try different things to decide in which way it will be the '18 bike."

Additional reporting by Oriol Puigdemont