Suzuki expect to move forward in race

Loris Capirossi and Chris Vermeulen will start eight and 11th respectively, but had been higher up the order before the track dried and others improved.

However they believe they made some set-up breakthroughs during the session that will help them in all weathers.

"All weekend it has been hard to be competitive with the top riders, but it has been better than we expected and in the different conditions this afternoon we were certainly up with everybody else," said Capirossi.

"The whole team made a really good effort this afternoon because we tried many things and by the end of the session we had a really good setting.

"I made a mistake on my last tyre and that cost me some time, so I could have been a bit higher up the grid."

Vermeulen blamed his midfield position on traffic.

"On my last lap when the track was at its driest I got held up by (Marco) Melandri as he pulled in front of me, and I couldn't go off the dry line to get past him as it was still quite wet in places out there," he said.

But he was also very pleased with Suzuki's progress.

"I am disappointed with my grid position, but very happy with the way we worked during the whole session," said the Australian. "We were quick on wets, on in-between tyres and quick on the slicks. I am confident for any conditions tomorrow."

The team are running a third bike for test rider Nobuatsu Aoki this weekend as they evaluate 2009 components. He will start 18th.

"Nobu has stepped his game up today, and the quicker he goes the more interesting the data is from some of the new parts he is testing," said team boss Paul Denning.