And he is hoping to prove it Sunday’s Australian Grand Prix at Phillip Island in a bid to snatch the world title from the grasp of Yamaha rival and teammate Valentino Rossi.

Lorenzo believes he must win the final three races of the season to claim his third world championship.

He has no other option despite winning six races out of 15 so far to Rossi’s four.

Lorenzo trails Rossi by 18 points as the title showdown reaches a tense climax with the Island GP to followed by Sepang and the final at Valencia.

Lorenzo, 28, says he is “in the best moment” of his career and that only bad luck, especially with the weather, has slowed his title aspirations.

Lorenzo conceded further points to Rossi when his sublime, front-running bid for victory in Sunday’s wet Japanese GP ended with front tyre degradation that saw him finish third to Rossi’s second.

“I believe at this moment of the championship, and in general, I am the fastest one this year because of the bike, my speed and my concentration,” Lorenzo said.

“I am in the best moment ever in dry conditions and in wet conditions, so that means that I am able to fight for the wins at the next three races.

“This gives me the confidence and the belief that I can still win the championship and I want to believe this until the end.

“Phillip Island is special and it is always very cold, windy and also it can rain, but I am confident in the conditions and maybe in the next races some luck can change for us.”

Despite his stunning speed Lorenzo has dropped costly points with mistakes (at a wet Silverstone), bad management (helmet issues at Qatar) and to Rossi’s superb wet track race craft.

Rossi is now on the threshold of a history making eighth MotoGP world championship and is perfectly positioned to manage an18 point margin to Lorenzo across just three races.

But Rossi refuses to look further that his much loved Island GP as he contemplates the chances of a career defining eighth championship at 36 years of age.

“It’s very difficult to think of three races, you have to think race by race,” Rossi said.

” I love Phillip Island like a lot of riders, but it’s always difficult to find the setting and also the conditions can be tricky with wind and cold.

“And the Hondas are always strong, Marquez always but now also Pedrosa is in a great shape and in the last races he is very competitive.
“Phillip Island is a great track and I will try to give the maximum.”

Rossi has won the Island race six times since 2000 while Lorenzo has taken just a single victory in the Australian GP since coming to MotoGP in 2008.