By Peter McLaren

Honda has introduced another all-new RC212V for its factory team this year but, while the chassis is a step forward, its pneumatic-valve engine remains underpowered - forcing Nicky Hayden to switch back to a standard valve-system for most of last week's Sepang test.

Nevertheless, the 2006 world champion was still able to take that 'improvised' package to the top of the timesheets was a record-breaking qualifying lap. Hayden was also ranked third in terms of race-tyre pace, 0.15secs quicker than new-Bridgestone rider Rossi, but 0.752secs behind Ducati's world champion Casey Stoner.

"When Honda makes a new bike, everyone is always a little bit scared of how it will turn out, so we need to be careful," warned Rossi, a Honda rider from 2000 until the end of 2003, when he switched to Yamaha.

"Hayden struggled at first [at Sepang] but by the end he wasn't going badly, and Dani [Pedrosa] was quick from the off before he fell," he added.

Rossi and Yamaha are currently working hard to develop their own pneumatic-valve engine - an early version of which appeared sporadically during the second half of last season.

The M1's 2008 pneumatic powerplant seems to be progressing steadily and Rossi is already confident of running it at the first grand prix. Kawasaki and Suzuki have raced pneumatic-valve engines since the start of 2007.

Meanwhile, the Italian superstar added that he hopes Pedrosa - who snatched second in last year's MotoGP World championship from him at the very final round - will be fully fit for the 2008 season opener, at Qatar on March 9.

"Let's hope Pedrosa is back on-form in time for the first race," said the #46 sportingly.

Pedrosa fractured his hand on day one at Sepang and will be out of action until the Jerez test on February 16-18.