Jorge Lorenzo hit back at the suggestion that he can’t be competitive in the rain, telling press it has been just a matter of confidence with tyres.

The outgoing champion was asked about his lack of confidence in the rain during today’s press conference after qualifying at Sepang ahead of tomorrow’s MotoGP race.

The Movistar Yamaha rider will line up third for tomorrow’s race alongside team-mate Valentino Rossi and polesitter Andrea Dovizioso, and seemed put out at the suggestion he would struggle if it rains again tomorrow.

“I don’t think it’s true that I’ve never been competitive in the rain,” he said. “Probably this year with the Michelin I struggle a lot especially the first two races in the rain to find confidence on the front but in the past with the Bridgestone I won races on the rain, I made pole positions and I made podiums so I think I can be competitive in the rain, like the way I did, I just need confidence.

“For the rider, when you don’t have confidence it is very complicated to be fast as we have seen so many times in the past, present and we will in the future.

Last week his third place looked to be under serious threat from his replacement in the Yamaha squad next year, Maverick Vinales, who revealed he wouldn’t mind stealing the spot from the Mallorcan.

But with Vinales starting from the third row, Lorenzo plans to capitalise and stretch the 11 point lead he has on his rival.“I make so many laps and the pace was very good but maybe not good enough to fight for the pole position,” he said.

“Anyway the important thing is front row, it’s a good position for tomorrow and let’s just see the weather, if its dry or dry mix or wet race. On the dry we are four riders with more or less the same pace. Was amazing this morning how close we were at the end of the practice.

“On the wet finally I felt very comfortable in both free practice four and qualifying, so maybe we have a little better pace but you know wet race, anything can happen.

“You can have a crash in any corner in any lap so we just prefer, I think everyone prefer a dry race.”