Jorge Lorenzo aims to dominate MotoGP run-in to claim title

The Spaniard goes into the last two races 11 points behind Yamaha team-mate Valentino Rossi, though the gap could have come right down to six had he not been denied by victory by Marc Marquez on the final lap of last weekend's Australian GP.

"I think Marc is very strong so it is going to be difficult to win the two races, but I think we are doing a good job during all the weekends," said Lorenzo.

"We have more experience than ever and we are doing a very good job and have a very good bike.

"We just want to keep it like that and try to be the fastest possible.

"Win practice and win the races is the only way to have the most options to be champion."

The championship situation fluctuated constantly through last weekend's hard-fought Phillip Island race, as Marquez, Lorenzo, Rossi and Andrea Iannone battled for the top four places.

Although Marquez's last-lap move denied Lorenzo five points, he received a boost at the same moment as Iannone denied Rossi third place.

Marquez had dominated practice and qualifying in Australia, so Lorenzo said a seven-point gain on Rossi felt satisfactory.

"Marc was very strong from Friday afternoon," he said.

"I expected him to be a little bit faster than me but in the race I could manage to push and stay close to him - but to be honest I didn't expect that Andrea and especially Valentino would also be there.

"The bike was working really well, we did unbelievable work during the weekend and especially in the warm-up we found something that improved the traction.

"But in the slow corners from the beginning of the race I started losing a little bit, so probably that's why in the last lap, with this amazing lap that Marc did and these problems in the slow corners, I could not keep the gap to win.

"When I heard the engine of Marc in braking I was not sure if [I should] close the door but I expected him to try anyway and maybe we could crash so finally I left some door for him. Marc was unbelievable in that braking area so he could brake later.

"It could be 12 points [gained] but also could be just four points or five so finally seven [more points than Rossi] is better."

Lorenzo believes he will be in better shape at Sepang this weekend when Bridgestone brings its softer tyre after using the asymmetric version at Phillip Island.

"In Sepang probably with a softer tyre we can manage to have less wheelspinning and to be a little bit more competitive," he said.

MOTOGP STANDINGS AFTER 16 OF 18 RACES: