By Peter McLaren

The MotoGP rookie said he was encouraged by the similarities between the '07 and '08 machines - and was happy to have beaten his previous Sepang best despite an early end to the day.

"We finished a bit early because we had run out of tyres to test but I'm quicker than November already so I'm pretty pleased with that," Toseland told Crash.net. "It's just subtle changes with the new bike. A little bit more power, different forks, swinging arm etc. But it's nice to feel that the bike is pretty similar to what I'm used to, so I can just keep improving and keep using what I've already learnt about it.

"We need to work on the power still. It's an improvement but we still need to find a little bit more. Other than that we're testing electronics. It's all new stuff. Colin [Edwards] and Valentino [Rossi] are getting a base setting for that, because it's unknown, and I'll hopefully get it for the third day.

"I'm still riding with the standard-valve engine. The pneumatic-valve engine is here, but it's under development at the moment. Maybe I'll have it by the first race. It depends how it progresses. It's obviously got to be an advantage and reliable.

"In terms of my riding, I'm pretty much similar to Colin on the brakes and acceleration and things like that now, so it's coming along - I'm happy!" the #52 concluded.

Toseland team-mate Colin Edwards set the seventh fastest lap time, 0.7secs ahead of the Englishman, while the third Michelin-M1 of factory rider Jorge Lorenzo was ninth on the opening day.