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MotoGP - Casey Stoner emerges from the shadows

Sport

Casey Stoner’s impressive win in yesterday’s MotoGP race at the fantastic new Aragon circuit in Spain brought some startling statistics to the fore: It was Casey Stoner and Ducati’s first win of this Yamaha/Lorenzo dominant season; Stoner had not won a MotoGP race since last season’s Malaysian race, almost twelve months ago; Ducati had not seen both of its riders on the podium since Australia 2007 (when Loris Capirossi finished runner-up to Stoner at Phillip Island)

Stoner has endured something of a rough ride since his utterly dominant championship-winning 2007 season. With 10 wins and some truly annihilating performances during 2007, Stoner emerged as the surprise challenger and ultimate inheritor of Valentino Rossi’s prize championship crown. Having worked closely with Casey and Ducati during that season (in my role as Bridgestone’s press officer), I enjoyed something of a front row seat to Casey’s successes; his performances were impressive and the positive atmosphere in the Ducati garage was contagious.

Some of the shine was lost in 2008 when Valentino Rossi had demanded his own Bridgestone boots and did all he could to regain the title. Nonetheless an additional six wins and some gutsy performances saw Casey a valiant runner-up. Then came 2009...Ducati’s debut Mugello win aside, it was a tough season for Casey who suffered health issues that blighted his championship aspirations. Securing back-to-back wins in Australia and Malaysia were the signs of life that threatened to herald a revival for the Australian, but 2010 has been another shadow of that championship season.

So, it is fantastic to see Casey back atop the podium in a manner that befits his former champion status. It is great to see Ducati in resurgent form heading into a period of the season where it has traditionally excelled. Having a victorious Casey Stoner aboard a competitive Ducati is enough to spice up the remaining five races of the season, but a competitive Casey heading to Honda and a victorious Ducati in the hands of (hopefully) a fully fit Valentino Rossi is a mouth-watering prospect heading into 2011.

Chris Hughes

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