The champion’s pride
Since MotoGP took the place of 500 in 2002, only two riders have been able to win at least one world title with two different manufacturers: Valentino Rossi and Casey Stoner. In 2024, the person who will try to join this pair of legends will be Marc Marquez, who has decided to break his historic partnership with Honda a year before the end of the contract to join Ducati. In recent seasons, the Borgo Panigale bikes have become the absolute point of reference for the premier class of the MotoGP. An aura of total invincibility was created around them and even an eight-time world champion like Marquez bowed to the old saying ‘if you can’t beat them, join them’. For this reason, in the special context of Eicma Milan, we asked Casey Stoner – new Nolan Brand Ambassadorthat Ducati had taken it to the top of the world for the first time ever, in 2007 – which bike would you like to ride with in the 2024 season if he were still a MotoGP centaur.
The Australian, never banal, surprised us with a certainly not obvious answer: “Honda”. “I would choose Honda because one thing I’m very proud of, looking at my career, is the fact that every manufacturer I raced with wasn’t considered top of the line at the time I went there. And, let’s put it this way, I have less pride than other drivers. I I can try to make a difference with myself, rather than trying to change everything on the bike. Initially you always try to change what you can on the bike, but if you can’t adapt it perfectly [alle tue esigenze], you have to adapt. Even if you change the setup significantly, you have to learn to ride the bike in a different way. I was always able to adapt to the settings we had to use, even if they weren’t perfect. So I think I’d like to bring Honda back to the top again.”Stoner explained to us.
Too many Ducatis
Stoner then also underlined how, in his opinion, the much reviled RC213V is less ‘disastrous’ than it might seem at first glance: “Seeing Rins win a race this year, quite comfortably in Austin, that shows me that the bike isn’t that bad. There have certainly been some difficult moments and they are a bit lost at the moment, but there are still chances to get back to the top.”. Speaking of string of Ducati successeshowever, the Australian legend is convinced that they can be interrupted, but only if some of the other more competitive manufacturers – Aprilia and KTM above all – are able to rely on a high-level rider: “I think motorcycles would be capable [di battere Ducati]. But it’s difficult because Ducati can count on half the grid. He has so many bikes available and in my opinion this is not correct. It’s an unfair advantage“.
“Then, I don’t want to be disrespectful, but I think that the other manufacturers need a driver who they are sure can always compete at the top. In that case you could see the full potential [della moto] over the course of the season. At the moment everyone is a bit of an ‘unknown’. No one has proven to be a stable contender for victory week after week. Just see what Dani Pedrosa was able to do with the KTM as a test riderafter retiring, at almost 40 years old”added #27.
Marquez’s challenge
Regarding the passage of Marc Marquez in Ducatiwith the Gresini satellite team, Stoner does not consider it a given that the Spaniard will be able to win the title on the first try: “I don’t think Marquez will find it so easy to win in Ducati. I don’t think he thinks that either. I think we had to do it [passare in Ducati] to understand if he was the problem, due to all the injuries he had. We’ve never really seen him get back to 100% since he had the injury. He also had a driving style with which he managed to make a difference. Today, however, it is the motorbikes that dictate the way you have to drive. This is where I think the problems could come. Because if he doesn’t feel comfortable with Ducati’s strengths, he could struggle more. But I hope more than anything to see Marc back competing in the top positions, to create some problems for the other drivers. The advantage that Marquez has – concluded Stoner – it’s that he knows how to win championships. He must first of all understand Ducati, then see where he is compared to the others. But if he can be fast and competitive, then it will be difficult for others to win. It won’t be easy for him, but he knows how to win the title and can make fewer mistakes than the others.”.
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