Returning former World Superbike Champion Max Biaggi ended the opening day’s practice sessions at Sepang at the top of the timesheets with the Italian’s 2’04.823 in the opening period safe from being toppled due to rain before the second session.
Biaggi, as he did during his first wildcard at Misano back in June, got on the pace quickly in the opener and he was able to negotiate the Malaysian circuit in impressive fashion, with Chaz Davies just 0.149s off that and championship leader Jonathan Rea in third.
The morning session that produced the action had been dry, but extremely humid and in the afternoon the World Supersport session got the first taste of rain before pitlane opened which dampened the track once the Superbikes prepared for their second efforts.
As it proved, little action was offered up on the patchy track, leaving many of the riders no option but to sit in the box and when teams did venture out, there was no impact on what had happened earlier.
Rea and his Kawasaki team-mate Tom Sykes failed to make a single flying lap in the damp second practice session but luckily for them, in terms of times, no-one could better the results from the opening period.
The Kawasaki duo sat third and fourth on the combined sheets, effectively a first session timesheet, just ahead of the Aprilia duo of Leon Haslam and Jordi Torres.
Both Aprilias did manage some action in the second session, with Haslam taking four laps and Torres adding six to his 15 morning circuits, but neither could do much but take reconnaissance for what may be a wet weekend in Malaysia if reports are to be believed.
Seeing their wildcard team-mate Biaggi top both periods, even if the second is by default, will no doubt dent the pride of both Haslam and Torres.
Voltcom Crescent Suzuki produced a very creditable opening session with Alex Lowes - fresh from his Suzuka exploits - taking seventh ahead of his team-mate Randy De Puniet, but as it was for most of the grid both riders produced next to nothing in the rain-hit second.
Rounding out the top ten, again on morning times, were the Pata Hondas of Sylvain Guintoli and Michael Van Der Mark while Britain’s Leon Camier finished down in 16th on his MV Agusta, over 2-seconds off the pace.
