The 32-year-old Japanese rider lapped in 2:01.000 on his Motor Italia Yamaha, beating world champion Troy Bayliss to the top spot by half a second as the Ducati rider failed to top a day of testing for the first time this year.

Britain's James Toseland was third fastest on his Ten Kate Honda, nine tenths of a second off the pace, while Yukio Kagayama, a double winner at the circuit last season, was fourth on the best of the Alstare Suzukis.

Troy Corser's Motor Italia Yamaha was next up with Lorenzo Lanzi's Ducati, Max Biaggi's Alstare Suzuki, Regis Laconi's PSG-1 Kawasaki and Roberto Rolfo's Ten Kate Honda next up. Fonsi Nieto was the slowest of the ten riders present on the second Kawasaki.

- Jamie O'Leary -