Vinales: The feeling came in FP4

Maverick Vinales will continue with a stiffer set-up on his Movistar Yamaha during Friday practice in Argentina, as he prepares to try and challenge for a repeat of last year's victory.

After four months of winter testing, it was only on the eve of the season-opening Qatar race that Vinales re-discovered confidence and feeling with the M1 for more than a single fast lap.

It wasn't enough to battle for victory at Losail, other areas of the bike such as acceleration needing further refinement for the new set-up, but Vinales was able to climb from 15th to 6th, only 3.8s from race winner Andrea Dovizioso.

"The feeling came in FP4," Vinales confirmed in Argentina on Thursday.

"I went harder on the springs, because I brake quite late. I felt good with that. We will see, we have to continue trying. But what I felt is that during all the tests, I never had the same confidence and enough confidence as I had during in the race.

"So we have to keep continue going practice by practice, trying to find the set-up I feel more comfortable with. But anyway, Argentina is a good track, I always have positive feelings when I arrive here, so I can't wait to start.

"I will try to be strong and try to at least be at the same level as last year, which should be good to try to fight for the win. Tyre choice is going to be very, very important, we have to be intelligent, and we have to go in a good way.

"With the feeling I had in the Qatar race, I am much more confident."

That confidence extends to the possibility of rain; the Achilles' heel of last year's factory Yamaha.

"My forecast says it will stay sunny on Sunday. But anyway, if it rains, we have to keep working, keep focused, I think this year the bike is going to be much better in the rain.

"Already the first feeling on the bike [in the rain] was good in Malaysia, so I think in the rain we can be strong."