Stoner expects better pace on Saturday

The championship leader was third quickest behind Valentino Rossi and Jorge Lorenzo, and also had a minor accident at the end of the backstraight.

"We didn't have such a good feeling in the beginning," Stoner admitted.

"We're trying a few different things on one of the bikes and it's working really well apart from in two areas. One is when I'm at full lean on the way into the corner, it feels a bit vague and wants to push me a metre or so wide. When I'm on the gas again it turns really well.

"The other point is that we're not getting much traction, but we're getting loads of corner speed and it's turning really well. It's a case of working to find a balance and unfortunately we lost a bit of time at the end because I tipped off it in the hairpin at the end of the back straight."

He put the accident down to over-caution on his part.

"Basically I'd had a couple of moments before that so I was being a little careful," Stoner explained. "Probably too careful because I didn't push the front hard enough in that corner and it went a little light and tucked."

The Australian reckons the potential is there to challenge the Yamahas in qualifying.

"We've ended up with some reasonably competitive lap times and I'm confident we can go much faster tomorrow," said Stoner. "I'm happy because we know what we're capable of and it's just a matter of getting it done now."