The first rider out on track was Marco Melandri (San Carlo Honda Gresini) at 9.30am local time as he completed 55 laps and was 11th fastest, with Héctor Barberá (Team Aspar), Randy de Puniet (LCR Honda) and Hiroshi Aoyama (Interwetten Honda MotoGP) following.

Marco Simoncelli experienced a highside on his RC212V around midday, but re-emerged by 3pm to continue uninjured. The San Carlo Honda Gresini man was 15th on the timesheet, with fellow rookie Álvaro Bautista (Rizla Suzuki) and Mika Kallio (Pramac Racing) both within two tenths of a second of the Italian’s best lap of 2’03.245.

During the test, MSMA representatives met at the Sepang International Circuit to discuss the future engine rules for the MotoGP class.

Back in December, following talks between MotoGP’s governing body the FIM, series rights holder Dorna Sports and the MSMA, the Grand Prix Commission agreed to change the maximum engine capacity of the MotoGP class to 1000cc for the 2012 season.

Dorna Sports CEO Carmelo Ezpeleta indicated the projected changes were received favorably, and that another meeting to be held later this month in Barcelona should allow the opportunity for further definition of the new technical rules for the premier class.