Checa heads the field after Day 1 of testing
After missing the first session, Max Biaggi (Aprilia Alitalia) finally got down to business, the reigning world champion wasting no time in setting the fourth quickest mark, albeit one second away from Checa. The Italian was a fraction ahead of Michel Fabrizio (Suzuki Alstare), while Tom Sykes (Kawasaki) and Marco Melandri (Yamaha) were not far behind in sixth and seventh.
In the final stages of the second session, several wild geese unexpectedly settled close to the track, causing the Race Direction to bring out the red flags three times, fearing they would be a danger to the riders.