Pedrosa fastest again in second practice

The Repsol Honda rider overcame challenges from world champion Casey Stoner (Ducati) and Tech 3 Yamaha's Colin Edwards to secure the top spot in second practice with a lap of 1:34.227.

The top three were covered by just 0.060 seconds at the end of another extremely close session, which had been led by Edwards for the majority of the hour.

Pedrosa had picked up where he left off after leading the morning session to set the early pace, but Edwards moved ahead after 20 minutes, and remained at the head of the timing screens until the final five minutes, when Stoner emerged from the pack to beat the American by 0.011 seconds.

The reigning champion was not destined to remain on top, though, for in the closing moments Pedrosa regained first position, initially beating Stoner by 0.016 seconds, then finding another 0.033-second improvement on his final lap.

Jorge Lorenzo continued to shrug off the after-effects of his China crash and went fourth-fastest for Yamaha, although he came off the bike late in the session. He walked awkwardly away, but later sat down on a stretcher and was carried off by the marshals.

2007 French Grand Prix winner Chris Vermeulen (Suzuki) took fifth, ahead of Lorenzo's teammate Valentino Rossi.

Randy de Puniet (LCR Honda) was the best of the local riders in eighth, behind Gresini Honda's Shinya Nakano, but de Puniet's compatriot Sylvain Guintoli was slowest of all as the Alice Ducatis continued to struggle.

Pos  Rider             Bike           Time
 1.  Dani Pedrosa      Honda     (M)  1:34.227
 2.  Casey Stoner      Ducati    (B)  1:34.276  + 0.049
 3.  Colin Edwards     Yamaha    (M)  1:34.287  + 0.060
 4.  Jorge Lorenzo     Yamaha    (M)  1:34.487  + 0.260
 5.  Chris Vermeulen   Suzuki    (B)  1:34.630  + 0.403
 6.  Valentino Rossi   Yamaha    (B)  1:34.959  + 0.732
 7.  Shinya Nakano     Honda     (B)  1:35.047  + 0.840
 8.  Randy de Puniet   Honda     (M)  1:35.073  + 0.846
 9.  John Hopkins      Kawasaki  (B)  1:35.133  + 0.906
10.  Alex de Angelis   Honda     (B)  1:35.239  + 1.012
11.  Loris Capirossi   Suzuki    (B)  1:35.256  + 1.029
12.  Nicky Hayden      Honda     (M)  1:35.378  + 1.151
13.  Andrea Dovizioso  Honda     (M)  1:35.450  + 1.223
14.  Marco Melandri    Ducati    (B)  1:35.678  + 1.451
15.  James Toseland    Yamaha    (M)  1:35.848  + 1.621
16.  Anthony West      Kawasaki  (B)  1:35.877  + 1.650
17.  Toni Elias        Ducati    (B)  1:36.039  + 1.812
18.  Sylvain Guintoli  Ducati    (B)  1:36.414  + 2.187