The Spaniard, a double race winner in 2008, also still appears to be struggling with his hand injury, while returning team-mate
Nicky Hayden - having been a promising sixth this morning - fell at the final turn of his final lap this afternoon. The American, who missed Brno due to a heel injury, finished the day one place in front of Dani.
Satellite Honda rider
Andrea Dovizioso was forced to settle for a lower than usual 13th during the start of his second
MotoGP event on Italian soil, while Alice Ducati riders
Toni Elias and
Sylvain Guintoli were an evenly matched 14th and 15th.
Both were nevertheless comfortably clear of the factory Ducati of
Marco Melandri, who looks set for another tough weekend, as does
Anthony West - who was over one-second slower than Melandri to be left 17th and last on the lone Kawasaki.
West joined Edwards in lapping slower this afternoon, while team-mate
John Hopkins didn't take to the track at all on Friday, due to pain from a rib injury sustained last time out at Brno.
Friday practice (2):
1. Stoner
2. Rossi
3. Capirossi
4. de Puniet
5. Vermeulen
6. Lorenzo
7. de Angelis
8. Edwards
9. Nakano
10. Toseland
11. Hayden
12. Pedrosa
13. Dovizioso
14. Elias
15. Guintoli
16. Melandri
17. West
