A busy first day of testing for the official MotoGP team riders concluded at the Sepang International Circuit on Thursday, as work on the 2010 prototypes that will compete in this year’s World Championship continued.

Fiat Yamaha’s Valentino Rossi set the fastest time of the field of 17 participants, and the Italian’s time of 2’01.411 on the new M1 was just under a second off the pace (2’00.518) which secured him pole position in the 2009 race at the track, as he continued with the development of the chassis and engine first tested at Valencia last November.

Rizla Suzuki has joined forces with American motorsport design icon Troy Lee in a partnership that will see the team’s image inspired by his amazing Southern California design studio.

Livery direct from Troy Lee and his fantastic team of designers will feature throughout the Rizla Suzuki MotoGP squad, from the 2010 Suzuki GSV-R itself through to the race suits that Loris Capirossi and Álvaro Bautista will be wearing as they battle with the world’s greatest racers around the globe in this season’s 18-race championship. Troy Lee Designs will also create the livery for the team’s pit-box and hospitality unit, as well as the team clothing and merchandise ranges.