Repsol Honda's Casey Stoner has taken top spot in this afternoon's MotoGP second free practice session at Estoril ahead of a resurgent Ben Spies on the factory Yamaha with Britain's Cal Crutchlow in third.
The reigning world champion nicked top spot from the Texan with only a few minutes left to run, lapping in a 1'38.396 with Spies only three-tenths behind as Monster Yamaha's Crutchlow ran the former WSBK title holder close with a lap only 0.025s slower.
Stoner's Spanish team-mate Dani Pedrosa spent much of the session in the middle of the top ten. He woke up at the end to jump into the top three but slid back to fourth. His fastest lap was enough to keep compatriot Jorge Lorenzo in fifth but the 2010 champion is only half a second off Stoner's pace.
San Carlo Honda's Alvaro Bautista is finding some of the confidence he is looking for, parking his RC213V in sixth place and only 0.029s off Lorenzo's time while Nicky Hayden is just behind him with a 1'39.029.
Hector Barbera headed Valentino Rossi for eighth but if The Doctor can sort out his problems through the final quarter of the lap, he is destined for a fourth-place start on this afternoon's form. Andrea Dovizioso, on the second Monster bike, rounded out the top ten.
Randy De Puniet was top of the CRT pile in 13th place with a lap of 1'41.088 with team-mate Aleix Espargaro behind him and Yonny Hernandez in third. Colin Edwards was 18th overall and James Ellison 21st.
