A private Honda MotoG🐻P test began at Sepang in♛ Malaysia on Monday.

2012 MotoGP title runner-up Dani Pedrosa is not in attendance, but rookie Repsol Honda team-mate Marc Marquez is on track, alongside Gresini Honda's Alvaro Bautista and factory test riders🎶 Kousuke Akiyoshi and Takumi Takahashi.

By 2pm on Monday, just before the arrival of rain, Bautista was fastest with a 2m 2.19s lap, followꦰed by Marquez with a 2m 3.65s from hi♔s 26 dry laps.

Those times compare with an official race lap record of 2m 2.108s, by Casey Stoner on a Ducati back in 2007, although Jorge Lorenzo put his Yamaha on pole with a 2m 0.334s in October's gꩲrand prix.

The fastest unofficial Sepang lap is a 1m 59.607s, set by retired cﷺhampion Stoner on a Repsol Honda during testꦇing in February.

Mo♛to2 champion Marquez, taking Stoner's place at the factory RCV team, impressed by being just 1.018s from the top after his first 27 laps on a MotoGP bike at the recent Valencia test (pictured).

Testing is due to continue for three 🗹days at Sepang.

Ducati will hold its final private test of the year a🉐t Jerez from November 28-30, just before the start of the winter test ban.

Howeve🌳r factory Yamaha racers Jorge Lorenzo and Valentino Rossi are not scheduled to ride the🦹ir M1s again until the first official 2013 test at Sepang in February.