De Puniet fastest at Sepang test

Despite a fall, the Frenchman continued to enjoy his switch to a new bike and Michelin tyres, as he set a time three tenths of a second faster than Suzuki's Chris Vermeulen.

Vermeulen and Loris Capirossi both stuck to using the 2007 Suzuki GSV-R, as rain in the afternoon prevented them from using the 2008 machine.

Colin Edwards was third fastest on his first day riding for the Tech 3 Yamaha squad, while his teammate James Toseland was the slowest of the MotoGP riders, 2.4 seconds adrift of De Puniet's best effort.

Andrea Dovizioso was the top 250cc graduate at the test as he set the fourth fastest time, while double 250cc world champion Jorge Lorenzo was only ninth fastest.

The Spaniard was the only factory Yamaha rider at the test, as Valentino Rossi is still recovering from the hand injury he sustained at Valencia.

Nicky Hayden was the only rider to test a 2008-spec bike during the first day, and the 2006 world champion set the seventh fastest time on his Repsol Honda.

Today's times:

Pos  Rider             Team           Time      Laps
 1.  Randy de Puniet   Honda LCR      2:03.033   31
 2.  Chris Vermeulen   Rizla Suzuki   2:03.357   42
 3.  Colin Edwards     Yamaha Tech 3  2:03.406   29
 4.  Andrea Dovizioso  JiR Team Scot  2:03.607   21
 5.  Loris Capirossi   Rizla Suzuki   2:03.748   29
 6.  Anthony West      Kawasaki       2:04.068   35
 7.  Nicky Hayden      Repsol Honda   2:04.164   36
 8.  John Hopkins      Kawasaki       2:04.316   18
 9.  Jorge Lorenzo     Fiat Yamaha    2:04.433   33
10.  James Toseland    Yamaha Tech 3  2:05.438   29

All Timing Unofficial