Repsol Honda's Dani Pedrosa has picked up from where he left off yesterday, setting the fastest time in MotoGP's final free practice at Jerez this morning in a session that started damp but the heavens opened once again with 20 minutes left to leave a soaking track.
The diminutive Spaniard lapped in 1'50.121 which was only a tenth faster than countryman Jorge Lorenzo on the works Yamaha with reigning world champion Casey Stoner in third and a further two-tenths of a second in arrears.
All the top times were set early on with most riders doing an average of 16 laps in the session with even Stoner, who is economical with his track time, completing 16 laps before a practice start was blocked by Hector Barbera who just parked in front of the Australian.
Nicky Hayden finished as top Ducati in fourth place just 0.40s behind Stoner while Britain's Cal Crutchlow, on the satellite Monster Yamaha, was fifth. Valentino Rossi was second in yesterday's afternoon session but dropped to sixth and is 1.4s off the pace - ninth-tenths behind Crutchlow.
Former HRC man Andrea Dovizioso was seventh, Stefan Bradl eight, Karel Abraham ninth and Randy De Puniet took the CRT top spot with tenth overall. Ben Spies will be disappointed with his time in 11th spot and more than two seconds in arrears.
Two-time World Superbike Champion Coin Edwards placed 17th and fourth quickest CRT bike with James Ellison in 19th. San Carlo Honda's Alvaro Bautista walked away from a turn one crash after he lost the front end of his RC213V on the ripples under braking.
