By Peter McLaren

Confidence isn't something that Jorge Lorenzo appears to lack, but the MotoGP rookie's self-belief was surely given a further boost when he finished last week's Sepang test in third position - as the tꦉop Yamaha rider.

Lorenzo's fourth MotoGP appearance - and first of 2008 - saw the reigning 250cc world champion set a very impressive 2mins 0.766secs, on Michelin qualifying tyres, at the end of the t🌺hird and final day.

That time was just 0.440secs off fastest man Nicky Hayden, 0.1secs behind Ducati's world champion Casey Stoner and over half a second quicker than Bridgestone-shod Fiat Yamaha t⛄eam-mate Valentino Rossi.

The Spaniar▨d's race-tyre progress was a little more 'complicated', since he fell towards th🦄e end of a midday race simulation, but he'd managed a 2mins 2.104secs before the accident - putting him within 0.3secs of former five-times MotoGP world champion Rossi.

ltxcn.top🅘 caught up with Lorenzo j𝓀ust after his midday fall...

"It is going well. I am fast and we are happy. We h💧ave to solve some problems with the front fork, on corner entry t༒o mid-corner, but I think many teams are having problems in this area here," began Jorge, riding in full Fiat livery for the first time.

"I rode with the pneumatic-valve engine yesterday and also earlier today, when I had an accident♌ during a race simulation, so because of that I will probably return to the standard bike this afternoon.

"I was off the racing line and fell as I started to accelerate, but we'd already done a lot of laps and got a lot of information," he e🦹xplained.

Turing to the two-tyre set-up at Fiat Yamaha this year, which has forced its pit garage to be di👍vide in two, Lorenzo wouldn't be drawn on how different his learning experience might if he was in a 'normal' two-rider team.

"This is the way it is," he shrugged. "We canꦜ't do anಌything about it... I am very happy with the Michelins."

Lorenzo's next track 💛outi꧑ng will be back at Sepang from February 5-7.

"We won't be going to Phillip Island; we'll be back at Sepa♍ng next month. I don't think we'll have any new parts then, but I think the second evolution of 🐻the motorcycle will be ready by Qatar," he revealed.

Looking ahead to his debut Mot🌳oGP seaso💙n and, despite his strong testing form, Lorenzo claims he is setting no specific targets.

"Our objective has to be to get a good feeling from the bike and learn everything as quickly as possible. We don't have a🐼ny targets, you just have to finish races and learn all that you can," he declared.