Melandri surprised to continue struggling

The Italian has struggled badly all season, never managing to acclimatise to the Ducati Desmosedici GP8.

Although his 17th place on the Phillip Island grid will be his tenth back row start this season, Melandri had expected better in Australia, where he won in 2006.

"I'm really disappointed because this was supposed to be a good track for us but it's turned out to be even more difficult than the rest," said Melandri, who was 3.274 seconds slower than his pole-sitting teammate Casey Stoner.

He also crashed in morning practice, although he was in good company as remarkably Stoner and satellite Alice Ducati riders Toni Elias and Sylvain Guintoli also fell in the same session, leaving all four Ducatis damaged.

"After the problem we had this morning and the crash, which was really strange because I was riding slowly and upright, things didn't improve," Melandri continued.

"Normally I try to brake really hard to make up for the fact we're losing out on corner exit but today I couldn't do that because I had no confidence under breaking.

"It's a really difficult situation and we'll have to wait and see if we can turn it around for the race."