Lorenzo ready to support Dovizioso title bid

Seven races into his switch from Yamaha to Ducati, Lorenzo lies seventh in the championship standings, recovering from a difficult start to the year to record his first podium with his new employer at Jerez.

Since then, Lorenzo has finished no lower than eighth, and had spells in the lead in the two most recent races at Mugello and Barcelona.

But he still lags behind Dovizioso following the Italian's back-to-back wins in the last two rounds, which have put him only seven points shy of leader Maverick Vinales.

Speaking ahead of the Dutch TT at Assen, Lorenzo says that his priority is for Ducati to win the title, even if it means playing second fiddle to Dovizioso.

"If I cannot be champion this year, I would love for it to be Dovi," said Lorenzo.

"And if I can help make that possible, in case he has the chance in the final part of the season, I would help him - for my factory and for him.

"A championship is a championship, and this is most important. It's too early to talk about these things, but if this is the case, I want to help Ducati win."

Still chasing his first win as a Ducati rider, Lorenzo underlined his belief that a return to the top step of the podium is merely a question of time.

"I never doubted whether the moment [winning] will come," he said.

"It's a question of when, not if it will arrive. I don't know if it's going to be in Assen, in five races or next year.

"It's one thing to win races and another to win a championship, which requires a lot of things. But to be fast and to win races is something that's surely going to come."