And it showed. The JiR Team Scot rider finished his first day on an RC212V at the Australian circuit having set the fourth fastest lap time, leaving him sandwiched between fellow premier-class newcomers Alex de Angelis (Honda Gresini) and James Toseland (Yamaha Tech 3) on the end of day timesheets.

"I arrived in Phillip Island a little bit apprehensive as in 250 and 125s I never found myself comfortable on the track and I never enjoyed it too much. With the 800 it's fantastic!" beamed the 21-year-old Italian.

"I love to go around on the track and it's very good going into those fast, long corners getting the bike sliding a lot, too! I still have some small problems in braking at the rear, which is affecting the lap time a little. The whole thing doesn't bother me too much and we will find a solution.

"I'm adapting my riding position on the bike, but I would like to have foot-pegs a little to the rear, so we shall change this. Today I concentrated very hard on the track to give a good performance and I'm happy that I have done this.

"The next two days will be full of intense and very hard work, where the team and myself will work hard with Michelin and try and find the optimum setting for the chassis," he concluded.

Yamaha Tech 3's Colin Edwards was the fastest rider at Phillip Island on Wednesday, having set a 1min 29.566secs on a Michelin qualifying tyre.