Aruba Ducati's Marco Melandri, who looks likely to be replaced in the team by Alvaro Bautista, topped the Portimao WorldSBK timesheets at 1pm on the first day with a 1'42.324, half a second ahead of Xavi Fores on the Barni Ducati.

Melandri has already stuck in 42 laps on his Panigale and is some way clear of Chaz Davies, who is 0.951s behind with six less laps on the board. Reigning champion Jonathan Rea is in third on a 1'42.861.

Leon Camier heads the Red Bull Honda charge and is only less than half a tenth behind Rea. The Andorra resident has already been at the track for two days testing a whole raft of engine and chassis configurations.

Alex Lowes and Michael van der Mark are in fifth and sixth, seven-tenths off the pace just aead of Davies. Lorenzo Savadori, Eugene Laverty and Jordi Torres complete the top ten.

Tom Sykes is injured and is not present after sustaining a 'sporting' injury while Loriz Baz's Althea team elected not to test, which has allowed the Frenchman to stand in for Pol Espargaro at KTM.