Former MotoGP champion Jorge Lorenzo, who split 💦the factory Hondas of Casey Stoner and Dani Pedrosa at Qatar 2011, has his sights set on going one better in the first race of t🙈he new 1000cc era at Losail on Sunday.

Lorenzo was the only Yamaha rider in the top five as he ꦛrode the wheels off his 🌠800cc M1 in last year's event.

The Spaniard returns knowing that the 2012 Yamaha is a more competitive package, having set strong lap times in all three winter tests, although Stoner again looks toಞ be the 🍎man to beat.

While he has never won a premier-class race at Qatar, Lorenzo has a strong record at the desert track, starting his four MotoGP events from the front row and always finishing on the podium.

"I'm very excited to finally make a race and🅷 see how we are compared to our rivals," said Lorenzo. "Qatar was a good race for us last year but I think this season we have a slightly m♛ore competitive bike so I am hoping for good things to happen.

"Because of my hand injury [three rounds from the end of last year, at Phillip Island] it has been a long time since I was꧑ in a race so I am really excited for Sunday. I have been training a lot for this season; I'm feeling very good and very happy with the bike as well."

Team manager Wilco Zeelenberg is eager to see how the new machine sಌhapes up iꦿn a race situation.

"I'm really excited to go to Qatar, it's been a longer off season than usual," said the Dutchman. "We had a great winter test season and we solved a lot of problems from 2011 so I'm curious to see how our package behaves under race conditions.

"Testing is 💖one thing but finishing on a podium is the real test. Jorge is very fit and the M1 i🌠s ready to go. Let's clean the track for the first couple of days and then go racing!"

Lorenzo finished runner-up to Stonerꦕ last season, wit🌸h three races wins.