Stiggy Honda's Leon Haslam has started his Phillip Island World Superbike test session well, lapping around a second slower than Troy Bayliss' Superpole time from last season.

Haslam, who is returning to the championship after coming second in the 2008 British Superbike series, is slightly behind Shinya Nakano's Aprilia in terms of outright pace – but the Italian team have been at the Australian track for a day already.

Nakano's 1'33.1 time was matched by Regis Laconi on the private Ducati 1098S. Max Biaggi is third fastest despite crashing at Honda corner with Haslam in fourth.

Paul Bird's Kawasaki riders are a little further behind with Makoto Tamada (1'34"9) and Broc Parkes (1'35"4) were slightly off the pace, their ZX-10R machines still in need of further development.