The Frenchman used the '17 chassis, which Valentino Rossi and Maverick Vinales struggled with throughout the previous season, in the first two days at Sepang, taking eighth and sixth place respectively.

While generally positive, Zarco complained about not being fast enough at the end of both days, and said that he would revert to his old chassis should he be unable to fulfil the bike's potential.

He then subsequently returned to use his old bike for Day 3, saying it is the "better option" for him and it "makes my work easier".

"Today, I used my bike from last year to have all the information and understand even more things about my feeling," said Zarco, who was ninth on Tuesday, 0.681s behind pace-setter Jorge Lorenzo.

"In the morning was the perfect condition to be really fast and 59.5s is quite good but not good enough. At least I could have the grip I was missing the day before.

"For what I feel at the moment, it is a better option for me because it makes my work easier."

Zarco said that he will continue using the '16 chassis in the next test at Buriram, and will try to develop a riding style similar to that of Lorenzo from back when the Spaniard was still at Yamaha.

"I still have things to learn so for the next test I will keep working on the bike that I was using last year," he added.

"[I want to] find a way to ride it as Lorenzo was riding it [the Yamaha] two years ago because I think doing what he is doing will help me to be faster."

Additional reporting by Scherazade Mulia Saraswati