A noticeable absentee from the Sepang test was 2007 MotoGP World Championship runner-up Dani Pedrosa, with only team-mate Nicky Hayden representing Repsol Honda during the three-day outing.

With a brand new 2008 RC212V to develop, the Spaniard might have been expected to join the American in Malaysia, but HRC sporting director Chris Herring explained that the 22-year-old felt his presence wasn't necessary.

"Dani felt that, having done three days during the race weekend at Valencia - he knew the track conditions there well, knew what Michelin had tyre wise and he then compared all that with the new bike during testing on the Tuesday and Wednesday," Herring explained.

"He pinpointed all the areas that he felt needed improving on the new bike and therefore didn't really think it was worth coming here. He thought it was better to concentrate on a few of those improvements at Jerez in ten days time."

Hayden was fastest of all at the Sepang test, albeit on the 2007 bike with a qualifying tyre. The all-new 2008 machine, which features pneumatic valves, is currently slower than last year's model.

World champion Casey Stoner and his Ducati team also didn't test at Sepang, while former champion Valentino Rossi missed the test due to his Valencia hand injury. Both will return to the track, with Pedrosa, at Jerez from November 27-29.