Stoner also dominates second practice
Casey Stoner dominated the second free practice session for Saturday's Dutch TT, as he set the fastest lap ever recorded on the latest version of the legendary Assen Grand Prix circuit
No one could get anywhere near the Ducati rider, who won the British Grand Prix last weekend at a canter. His 1:36.087 lap was just one of several that would have secured him the top spot in the hour-long session.
He was lucky however to catch a major wobble through the 'dipper' in the final chicane that threw Stoner from his saddle.
The closest rider to the Australian was world championship leader Valentino Rossi, 0.8s back on the Bridgestone-shod Yamaha, with Tech 3's Colin Edwards in third.
Nicky Hayden once again outpaced HRC teammate Dani Pedrosa on the new pneumatic-valve Honda, as did the two Gresini Hondas of Alex de Angelis and Shinya Nakano.
Randy de Puniet was seventh quickest on the LCR Honda ahead of John Hopkins' Kawasaki, Pedrosa and Suzuki's Chris Vermeulen.
Vermeulen's teammate Loris Capirossi endured yet more bad fortune as he fell awkwardly at Ramschoek, damaging his right forearm and throwing his continued participation this weekend into doubt.
Marco Melandri's despair was compounded further in the second session. The beleaguered Ducati rider ended the session last, three seconds slower than teammate Stoner.
Worst still was that until the Italian improved late in the session, his best lap wouldn't have been fast enough to outpace 250cc front-runners Marco Simoncelli and Alvaro Bautista.
Pos Rider Team Time Laps 1. Casey Stoner Ducati Marlboro Team 1:36.087 27 2. Valentino Rossi Fiat Yamaha Team 1:36.819 + 0.732 29 3. Colin Edwards Tech 3 Yamaha 1:36.931 + 0.844 24 4. Nicky Hayden Repsol Honda Team 1:37.012 + 0.925 29 5. Alex De Angelis San Carlo Honda Gresini 1:37.126 + 1.039 29 6. Shinya Nakano San Carlo Honda Gresini 1:37.137 + 1.050 28 7. Randy De Puniet LCR Honda MotoGP 1:37.187 + 1.100 25 8. John Hopkins Kawasaki Racing Team 1:37.251 + 1.164 26 9. Dani Pedrosa Repsol Honda Team 1:37.280 + 1.193 26 10. Chris Vermeulen Rizla Suzuki MotoGP 1:37.282 + 1.195 29 11. Andrea Dovizioso JiR Team Scot MotoGP 1:37.326 + 1.239 21 12. Sylvain Guintoli Alice Team 1:37.357 + 1.270 25 13. James Toseland Tech 3 Yamaha 1:37.838 + 1.751 19 14. Jorge Lorenzo Fiat Yamaha Team 1:37.960 + 1.873 26 15. Anthony West Kawasaki Racing Team 1:38.413 + 2.326 28 16. Toni Elias Alice Team 1:38.656 + 2.569 22 17. Loris Capirossi Rizla Suzuki MotoGP 1:38.667 + 2.580 6 18. Marco Melandri Ducati Marlboro Team 1:39.214 + 3.127 21
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