Toseland – who is keen to make a positive start to 2009 – was involved in the dramatic 125mph high-side incident during an out lap, midway through the second sector of the Malaysian track. Despite the nature of the incident, Toseland emerged unscathed.   Britain’s only contender in the blue riband championship was not the only competitor to suffer a fall – reigning MotoGP champion Valentino Rossi and premier class rookie Yuki Takahashi were also unseated in separate incidents during the first day of the test. All three riders were believed to be using a new harder compound rear tyre. Toseland ended the session in 14th place, setting a best time of 2.04.502.      

Following his crash, the Isle of Man resident thanked BKS – who continue to support the 28-year-old in 2009 – for providing a suit capable of withstanding the rigours of Grand Prix racing. The manufacturer initiated a partnership with Toseland in the lead up to his MotoGP rookie season in 2008. The British rider then worked closely with BKS technicians to perfect his suit. Further modifications were completed ahead of the current test to make the suit lighter, while retaining all safety features and styling.   

James Toseland: “I’d like to thank everyone at BKS for the protection they have given me. Due to the strength of the suit, I’ve probably escaped a nasty injury today. I’ve always known that the suit is top quality, but it takes a big crash to test all the safety features in a realistic environment. Although I was shaken up by the incident, I emerged unscathed and ready to fight another day.   “I’m obviously disappointed to have come off the bike so early in the test, however my only regret is that I don’t have my mum here for a bit of TLC! You have to accept that, occasionally, crashes will happen and it’s better that it’s during testing than a race. I’m looking forward to getting back on the bike tomorrow to improve on the time I set today.