Portuguese GP - Stoner doubles up in second practice

Casey Stoner picked up where he left off during the morning by topping the second free practice session for the Portuguese Grand Prix.

The 21-year-old Australian, who can be crowned champion this weekend if he out-scores Valentino Rossi by 16 points, increased his pace during the second session to take his Ducati around the Estoril circuit in 1:37.950.

But there was a shock in second place as Japan's Makoto Tamada fired in two stunningly quick laps to put his Dunlop-shod Tech-3 Yamaha ahead of Valentino Rossi's works machine and only four hundredths of a second slower than Stoner.

Stoner was initially forced to play second fiddle to Repsol Honda rider Dani Pedrosa, but soon established himself with the time that would remain unbeaten after 20 minutes of the session.

To further hammer home his superiority, he failed to use the qualifying tyres Bridgestone had on offer and instead pounded around on race rubber, setting five consecutive laps in 1:38.0.

So it was not of much concern to him when Tamada, enjoying his best session of the season, went second with 12 minutes to go and then, after being relegated two spots, grabbed it back in the dying seconds.

Such was the closeness throughout the pack that Yamaha rider Rossi, in third, and Pedrosa in fourth were both within a quarter of a second of Stoner.

Fifth and sixth were Randy de Puniet's Kawasaki and the Suzuki of John Hopkins, who leapt up late in the session after spending most of the hour in the teens.

Loris Capirossi ended up seventh quickest for Ducati with outgoing world champion Nicky Hayden next up on his Repsol Honda.

Alex Barros was ninth on his d'Antin Ducati while Sylvain Guintoli made sure both Tech-3 Yamahas made it into the top ten.

Further back both Marco Melandri and Kurtis Roberts took trips through the gravel at turn seven on their Gresini Honda and KR respectively.

But Carlos Checa was the only man to crash, dropping his LCR Honda at turn six.