Dani Pedrosa raised his pace even further in Friday afternoon practice for the Malaysian Grand Prix at Sepang.
After dominating the morning, Pedrosa exchanged the top spot with Honda teammate and new champion Casey Stoner a few times in the opening half of practice two, before pulling clear. Pedrosa then emphasized his advantage with a blistering 2m01.250s lap – 0.7sec quicker than his morning pace and under the 2010 pole – in the closing minutes.
That left Stoner 0.82sec adrift in second. Third works Honda rider Andrea Dovizioso completed the top three, ahead of Gresini Honda duo Marco Simoncelli and Hiroshi Aoyama.
Best rider on anything other than a Honda was Tech 3 Yamaha's Colin Edwards in sixth, with Alvaro Bautista remaining rapid for Suzuki in seventh, and Ben Spies only ninth on the factory Yamaha.
Quickest Ducatis were the Pramac bike of Randy de Puniet in eighth and the Cardion machine of Karel Abraham in 10th, with factory riders Nicky Hayden and Valentino Rossi only 11th and 13th.
Returnee John Hopkins' Suzuki was 14th again, while Jorge Lorenzo's substitute Katsuyuki Nakasuga crashed at Turn 13 and brought up the rear.
Pos Rider Team/Bike Time Gap
1. Dani Pedrosa Honda 2m01.250s
2. Casey Stoner Honda 2m02.070s + 0.820s
3. Andrea Dovizioso Honda 2m02.664s + 1.414s
4. Marco Simoncelli Gresini Honda 2m02.823s + 1.573s
5. Hiroshi Aoyama Gresini Honda 2m02.951s + 1.701s
6. Colin Edwards Tech 3 Yamaha 2m02.991s + 1.741s
7. Alvaro Bautista Suzuki 2m03.123s + 1.873s
8. Randy de Puniet Pramac Ducati 2m03.159s + 1.909s
9. Ben Spies Yamaha 2m03.312s + 2.062s
10. Karel Abraham Cardion Ducati 2m03.318s + 2.068s
11. Nicky Hayden Ducati 2m03.445s + 2.195s
12. Loris Capirossi Pramac Ducati 2m03.595s + 2.345s
13. Valentino Rossi Ducati 2m03.677s + 2.427s
14. John Hopkins Suzuki 2m03.885s + 2.635s
15. Cal Crutchlow Tech 3 Yamaha 2m03.901s + 2.651s
16. Toni Elias LCR Honda 2m04.071s + 2.821s
17. Hector Barbera Aspar Ducati 2m04.603s + 3.353s
18. Katsuyuki Nakasuga Yamaha 2m05.996s + 4.746s