Crocked Marlboro Ducati rider Casey Stoner finished the third day of MotoGP testing at Sepang still on top of the fastest lap pile but only by a tenth from reigning champion Valentino Rossi.

Stoner, who is being plagued by his not-very-healed scaphoid injury, has fought it out with The Doctor for all three days, with Rizla Suzuki's Loris Capirossi in close attendance. Dani Pedrosa is absent from the list as he flew back to Spain yesterday to rest the knee he injured in his crash at Phillip Island last year.

Tech3 Yamaha's Colin Edwards was fourth quickest, less than half a second off the Australian's pace, with a resurgent Toni Elias rounding out the top five. Britain's James Toseland, who is still recovering from a massive crash on day one, was 16th.

1    Casey STONER    Ducati MarlboroTeam    2:01.043    -    -    38
2    Valentino ROSSI    Fiat Yamaha    2:01.137    +0.094    +0.094    43
3    Loris CAPIROSSI    Team Suzuki    2:01.262    +0.125    +0.219    60
4    Colin EDWARDS    Tech3 Yamaha    2:01.413    +0.151    +0.370    22
5    Toni ELIAS    San Carlo Honda Gresini    2:01.560    +0.147    +0.517    43
6    Chris VERMEULEN    Team Suzuki    2:01.666    +0.106    +0.623    48
7    Jorge LORENZO    Fiat Yamaha    2:01.907    +0.241    +0.864    61
8    Andrea DOVIZIOSO    Repsol Honda    2:01.955    +0.048    +0.912    54
9    Mika KALLIO    Pramac Racing    2:02.386    +0.431    +1.343    61
10    Nicky HAYDEN    Ducati Marlboro Team    2:02.497    +0.111    +1.454    62
11    Alex DE ANGELIS    San Carlo Honda Gresini    2:02.523    +0.026    +1.480    32
12    Sete GIBERNAU    Guinea Ecuatorial     2:02.727    +0.204    +1.684    42
13    Randy DE PUNIET    LCR Honda    2:03.418    +0.691    +2.375    50
14    Yuki TAKAHASHI    Scot Racing Team     2:03.474    +0.056    +2.431    58
15    Niccolo CANEPA    Pramac Racing    2:03.901    +0.427    +2.858    41
16    James TOSELAND    Tech3 Yamaha    2:03.953    +0.052    +2.910    36