Hayden fifth

Reigning world champion Nicky Hayden completed just 38 laps of the opening day of testing in Malaysia today as he made his first track appearance since undergoing shoulder surgery in November.

The American was fifth fastest some 1.2s adrift of compatriot John Hopkins as he broke himself back in gently after the right shoulder operation.

The operation was needed to repair damage suffered in the infamous Estoril crash with Repsol Honda team-mate Dani Pedrosa.

He said: “The shoulder feels OK as far as the pain going away but it’s quite weak and it got quite fatigued after not a lot of laps but that will come. 

“That’s why I didn’t go crazy with the amount of laps because the doctors told me to take it pretty easy because I was in a sling 24 hours a day for four weeks and I lost a lot of the motion and stuff. 

“After a few laps it would get quite tired quite quick.”