Melandri, returning to action after missing Brno due to a neck problem, quickly felt comfortable in the wet and was able to complete a total of 19 laps on the 'new' layout.
"I'm really happy - I didn't think I would be so comfortable on the bike having not ridden it properly for almost two months [since Laguna]," admitted the Italian. "Two days ago I was very worried because I was in a bad way but thankfully this morning I felt better. The wet conditions didn't put too much stress on my neck because there isn't the hard braking that you have in the dry. I was really desperate to get back on track and I enjoyed it. The bike is working well and I found a good feeling straight away.
"I know Misano track but with the changes they made and the reverse direction it feels completely new. The fast part is particularly difficult to understand but I think this is where the rider can make the difference. Tomorrow could be tricky because of the amount of dirt that the rain brought onto the track," he warned.
Team-mate
Toni Elias, who returned from his own injury nightmare at Brno following a femur-breaking accident two months earlier at Assen, decided that it was too risky to ride this morning.
"It was a strange day because of the rain. This morning I decided not to risk it in the wet because it was too dangerous to crash. I've never seen anything like the weather this afternoon - hopefully it will be dry tomorrow so we can get out on track," said the Spaniard.
