Lorenzo gives Indy thumbs up despite rain

The Spaniard, who ended seventh fastest, added that the heavy rain that afflicted both practice sessions had made the new section at the beginning of the lap treacherous to ride on.

"I am happy today because the track is much better than I expected and a lot less dangerous," he said. "Some walls are quite close to the racing line but in general it's not too bad.

"The first part, with the new tarmac, is difficult because it's very slippery and there's a lot of standing water, so you have to ride very carefully and very straight.

"The other part has better grip. We need to find a balance between tyres, which is the biggest issue we have to deal with.

"The back part is flowing and fun to ride, he added. "I think it suits my riding style so this is an unexpected surprise!

"Anyway, the situation is the same for all the riders, the weather is bad, it's a new track - we will do our best!"