MotoGP: Ducati’s Casey Stoner looking for a new challenge at Honda racing team next season
The Australian youngster Casey Stoner has stayed with the Ducati team for four years now, and his career has been a successful one. He won the championships with the team in his first year, in 2007, while remained in contention even in the years later. Now, Stoner has decided to finally leave the Ducati Team after the expiration of his contract at the end of his fourth season, i.e. 2010.
For the next season, the Australian would be joining HRC, Honda Racing team. Casey Stoner made his debut in the MotoGP with the Honda LCR team in 2006, and right now, he is looking back at his old bike for his future challenges. However, the Australian did not have a good season for the first time with Honda, as he finished in 8th position in the championships. Throughout the season, he did not win any race, while he had only one pole position and one podium finish. In addition, he was continuously hampered by injuries and crashes, which was another reason that the rider failed to impress in his first season appearance in Premier Class motor racing.
However, for 2007 Stoner joined the Ducati Team. Desmosedici GP7 was making its debut in the 2007 season with a new 800cc bike and Stoner proved to be a real rider for the new bike. He won the Championships that year, with a big margin, as other riders on the circuit totally failed to challenge the supremacy of the team and the rider. The start was good for Stoner and Ducati, but things changed for both of them in the coming seasons. The next season also started good, but Valentino Rossi started pushing hard to reclaim his supremacy in the Sport. On the other hand, Casey Stoner crashed on a number of occasions, to give Rossi a chance to bounce back. However, at the end of the season, Stoner came second behind Rossi after attaining a record 280 points for a second place finish.
Things were further deteriorating for the team and the rider, as the bike could not keep up its improvements, while the rider suffered from tiredness and fatigue for the most part of the season. Therefore, Stoner went further down the ranks, as he finished fourth in the MotoGP championship. In the current season with Ducati, Stoner managed only two podium finishes in the last two races, and is currently sitting in the 6th place, with the defending champion Valentino Rossi out for some time, due to injury. However, Stoner believes that the bike has got the pace to challenge for the top spot, but his teammate Nicky Hayden, another former champion, has also failed to inspire.
Apart from the first season, everything is going downhill for the Australian in the Ducati team. Thus, he has finally decided to move on with his career in the Honda factory team. Right now, Andre Dovizioso and Dani Pedrosa are running for the HRC team. However, the team management wants to keep both these riders in for the next season as well. If Casey Stoner is put alongside these drivers, the HRC line-up would be a real threat to other constructors in the next season.
The Ducati team, on the other hand, would not be happy to let go of Casey Stoner. Filippo Preziosi, Ducati Corse General Director showed his emotions when the news of Stoner’s move to HRC was confirmed. However, he thanked the driver for his loyal support for the team, as he remembered the moments of glory brought by the Australian for the Ducati. In addition, Casey Stoner also thanked the Ducati team and the sponsors for their support and the opportunity to race for the team.
There is no doubt that Ducati brought the success to Casey Stoner. Previously, he was rather unknown in the racing arena, as he had only a little success in his career, while Ducati gave him the chance to win the first title in his career. Ducati in the 2007 MotoGP season showed so much speed that it was impossible for any rider to overtake Stoner on a straight line. His maiden title gave him the confidence to be the driver he is today, and for that, Stoner would always be grateful to the Ducati team in his life.
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