VOL. 53 ISSUE 5 FEBRUARY 9, 2016 P21
CASEY IS BACK AND FAST AS EVER
W
ill Casey Stoner's testing
comeback with Ducati
lead to a racing return?
The double World Champion
was little short of breathtaking
as he moved up to be the fastest
Desmosedici rider on the final
day. He'd missed the first day,
and had only ridden the Ducati
for the first time in private tests
a few days before—after three
years of retirement, with only a
few sporadic tests for Honda.
Even he was surprised at how
quickly the lap times came, even
on his first day, on a slippery
track and unfamiliar tires, "when
I was being cautious," he said.
Stoner won 23 races and
the 2007 title for Ducati before
switching to Honda in 2011
where he was champion again.
Midway through the next year he
abruptly announced his retire-
ment—although remaining on
Honda's payroll as an occasion-
al test rider.
No Ducati has won a race
since he left, with his replace-
ment Valentino Rossi enduring
two years of humiliating failure.
His switch back to Ducati as
test rider reflected the com-
pany's new management, he
explained, plus that, "I've always
had a soft spot for Ducati."
He didn't name the deposed
chief designed Filippo Preziosi,
but said, "My differences in the
past were with people who are
no longer there. I think they got
a bit complacent with what I was
doing, and we weren't seeing
any budgeting for improve-
ment."
But he was pleased to be
back in the Italian coterie
with many old friends in the
pits and team management.
His present role went no
further, he explained, than
helping the riders and the
factory, at least not for the
present. Asked which GP he
would nominate for a wild-card
ride, he jokingly nominated the
now-defunct Laguna Seca.
After his show of speed,
speculation was rife, however,
that he would return for at least
one race, perhaps his home GP
at Phillip Island.
His main impression of the
changes since he last rode a
Ducati was summed up in a
word. "Power! Damn… I can't
say enough how much grunt it
has got. The engine is very, very
strong, but you have control
over it. It's no good having a lot
of power if you can't use it."
Stoner was not expecting
to join the next tests at Phillip
Island, but to return for the final
round at Losail before the start
of the season.
Michael Scott
Stoner looked
immediately
comfortable on the
Desmo. How great
would it be to see him
go up against Marquez,
Lorenzo, Rossi and
Pedrosa this year?
Clearly a relaxed Casey is a fast
Casey. The Aussie will be a real
asset to Ducati this year.
PHOTOGRAPHY
BY
GOLD
&
GOOSE
