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With just three months remaining before the city of Beijing plays host to the XXIX edition of the Olympic Games, China opens its doors to an equally talented array of athletes and a similarly historic championship this weekend as the MotoGP World Championship lands in Shanghai for the fourth round of an already intriguing season.

The Fiat Yamaha Team heads for the Orient in fine spirits after a sensational start to the season, which has wielded five podiums and leadership of both the teams' and riders' standings.

Pivotal to that success is the early season form of rookie revelation Jorge Lorenzo, who has made the most successful ever start to a modern-day MotoGP career after three races. An unbroken pole to podium record so far have taken the youngster to the top of the standings on 61 points - a tally he aims to add to in China on his 21st birthday.

A debut premier-class success in Portugal two weeks ago made Lorenzo the fifth youngest rider to achieve the feat – outshining legendary names such as Mike Hailwood and his own team-mate Valentino Rossi – and the youngest to finish on the podium at three successive races. Having conquered Estoril on his first visit with the YZR-M1, a circuit at which he had never previously won in any class, Lorenzo can fully expect to be competitive at Shanghai, where he dominated with pole position, victory and a new lap record in the 250cc class last year, especially after undergoing successful surgery to cure a troublesome ‘arm-pump' condition.

“Each day I am feeling better after my operation; I feel great and I think the recovery is going very well, without problems. I am going to China in perfect shape”, said the Mallorcan. “The victory in Portugal was like a big present that I had never expected, but in a way it wasn't a perfect victory because I couldn't enjoy it so much! The pain in my arms changed the celebration but I believe the most important thing is to make sure I am fit for the future. I am calm because I am realizing a dream and for me the target for the season has already been reached. Now we must continue to work like this and I have to concentrate on the next race. I have had mixed fortunes in China - I had many problems in 2006 and I couldn't finish but last year I won and it made the championship easier because it took me to 95 points after only four races. Shanghai is a modern track with a long straight, fast corners and big braking areas. It is the second circuit where I've never ridden in MotoGP so I don't know what my performance will be like here but I was very comfortable at this track in 250cc, so I hope it will be the same on May 4th.”