MotoGP, Casey Stoner: “Ducati is not loyal to its riders”

Casey Stoner has never been one to hold back, and he continues in the same vein even now racing is a part of his past. In an interview with Road Racing World, Casey has - once again - criticised the way Ducati manages its riders. 

The dig

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"I think Ducati continues to get worse in the way in relates to its riders. They show zero loyalty to the riders, convinced they have the best bike. Today’s Desmosedici is really an eyesore too", said the two-time MotoGP world champion.

The Australian also touched on a key moment in his career, when he left the Italian manufacturer and moved to Honda, the constructor with which he then won the 2011 MotoGP title.

"The deal offered to me was better in every respect compared to Ducati's. Why should I have continued with them if they didn’t respect me?" In 2012 he then made the decision to retire:"Perhaps I was stupid to turn down Honda’s renewal offer, but in life you do things for love or money. And I’d made more money than I ever could have imagined and so I’m pleased with the decision I made".

"The current bikes are all similar"

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The legendary number 27 concludes by commenting on today’s MotoGP, which fails to meet with his approval: "I don’t like the direction it’s gone in. I’d like to see the purity come back, rather than electronics controlling the bike at full throttle and the wings controlling the front. All the bikes are basically clones of each other, and this is why the racing is now so close".

"The bikes are practically identical and the riders want everything adapted to them. But it needs to be the opposite. You have to forget everything you think you know. You have to ride the bike how it wants to be ridden. You have to surrender to the bike. I didn’t have just one style. I was more adaptable than most of my colleagues, so different conditions and tracks weren’t important. During practice, I’d try to get the bike doing exactly what I wanted, but in the end I’d adapt to what I had and make the difference. I think many riders have just one style and want to do the same thing every week, but every track is different, every turn is different. So you have to react differently".

Translated by Heather Watson

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