MotoGP title rivals pick out key traits that made Casey Stoner so special
But reigning champi♒on Bagnaia and nearest title rival Martin still remember some of Stoner’s jaw-dropping exploits in tr🐓icky track conditions.
Speaking at the Australian’s home Phillip Island circuit, where Stoner was unbeaten from 2007-2012✱, Bagnaia🦋 said:
“Incredible instinct. He was making the diffꦐerence every time the conditions were not perfect.
"I remember a wet practice. He did three laps and was like 2 seconds faster than everyone. After 40 minutes they got close to him. He entered for another 2 laps and went 🐼another 2 seconds faster! For that, he was incredible.”
Bagnaia🐎, w🌳hose title triumph was Ducati’s first since Stoner in 2007, added:
“He was incredible with the Ducati bike when he won the title, the bike was fast just with him. And the years after he was demonstrating that he was the only one abl🐎e to go fast with the Ducati.
“When he arrived at Honda it was like everything easy for him. So I think his talent and his instinct were increඣdible.”
Martin admitted he wished the now 38-year-old was still on tracဣk.
“One of the greatest talents that we had 🐼in this sport,” said the Pramac Ducati rider. “I remember Aleix [Espargaro] telling me about the [wet] practice session [mentioned by Bagnaia], when he was so far in front of the rest.
“For sure if you are that fast compared to the rest, you have something special. I think it was a pity that he retired so soon. It would have been super nice to see him maybe still riding and maybe being able to ride with him. But it was ꦍlike this.”
Third in the standings Marco Bezzecchi, a rider tipp💧ed as having something special by Stoner when he joined the premier class, said: “Difficult to add something more, but a fantas༒tic talent and a very good guy as well.
“Everywhere he was incredible to watch▨, but here was something unbꦐelievable. This track is already unbelievable and with his riding style, it was something very nice.”
“He was able to pull away!” added Bagnaia, having previously warned that escaping at the front꧙ is all but impossibꦍle at Phillip Island.
Peter has been in the paddo🍃ck for 20 years and has seen Valentino Rossi come and go. He is at the forefront of the Suzuki exit story and Marc Marquez’s injury issues.
