Casey Stoner

[Jelster]

Quoting form a (very) old TV advert....

So, what's your secret champ ??

"It's all in the wrist action"

Just what has Casey Stoner done to turn his game around ?

Last year he couldn't help but fall off, this year he has been on another level to everybody else in the championship. The bright rookie that was Danny Pedrosa, who has been doing quite well under the circumstances, has been pushed to the back as Stoner has out shone him in almost every race.

We all know that there will be races where specific bikes will not be competitive, whether that's down to tyres, set up etc. But he really has taken the bull by the horns and stepped up to the mark.

Maybe it was getting married, maybe it was the new 800cc bike; but while others struggle week in week out, he just quietly gets on with the job of winning.

Whether we will ever see another champion like Valentino is debatable, for years he really has the best there was over the last few years. I think, on this form, Stoner should make World champion, but you never know what may lay ahead. One mistake, one off could lead to weeks off of the bike. But whatever happens, I would like to say "Stand up and take a bow son, well done". :takeabow:


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[carty]

Well said Jelster, I couldn't agree more, the boy has done good to say the least!

I really like him, think he's got a very cool head and the way he has gelled with the Ducati GP7 is formidable.

There is a nagging part of me that wonders if he could do what Vale did and move to a 'less competitive' machine and still keep winning - only time will tell I guess. Although I don't think he'll be rushing to leave his seat at Ducati!

The whole package of Stoner + Duc + Bridgestones is obviously the most consistently competitive this season, I just hope we continue to see good racing rather than a white-wash every week, not so interesting IMO.

Yesterday's race was good, I love that track and can't wait to see it in person (I WILL go there one day!) The Americans just love putting on a show as well with the F18's, national anthem rendition, etc. Felt very sorry for Hopper in his home race, Hayden can't be blamed though IMO for what happened. Stoner and Vermeulen completing most of the race at previous lap record pace was incredible!

Back on topic - well done Casey

Stoner: :smt068 Vs. Everyone else: :smt089

[Alpinestarhero]

Quoting form a (very) old TV advert....

So, what's your secret champ ??

"It's all in the wrist action"

Just what has Casey Stoner done to turn his game around ?

Last year he couldn't help but fall off, this year he has been on another level to everybody else in the championship. The bright rookie that was Danny Pedrosa, who has been doing quite well under the circumstances, has been pushed to the back as Stoner has out shone him in almost every race.

We all know that there will be races where specific bikes will not be competitive, whether that's down to tyres, set up etc. But he really has taken the bull by the horns and stepped up to the mark.

Maybe it was getting married, maybe it was the new 800cc bike; but while others struggle week in week out, he just quietly gets on with the job of winning.

Whether we will ever see another champion like Valentino is debatable, for years he really has the best there was over the last few years. I think, on this form, Stoner should make World champion, but you never know what may lay ahead. One mistake, one off could lead to weeks off of the bike. But whatever happens, I would like to say "Stand up and take a bow son, well done". :takeabow:


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:winner:

It anoyed me when all the worlds peoples slagged stoner off, saying its the bike and not him - sure, the duke is a missile, but if it dosnt go round corners then stoner would have never won! And who makes it go round corners fast? Casey. The form of loris, barros and hoffman have shown that Casey really is in a leuge of his own with that desmosedici. Last year, when casey has his first test on the RC211V, I said to myself "he'll be the next mick doohan"

So far, I'm being proved right

Even if he dosnt have a gammy leg

Matt

[kwak zzr]

why do i get the feeling hes about to cry all the time?

[Jelster]

why do i get the feeling hes about to cry all the time?

Well he is only a "boy" isn't he... :smt022

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[Razor]

The thing I notice about Casey, is how happy he is. When he's up on the podium it looks like he's looking into the crowd but then you realise he's gazing straight into the eyes of his gorgeous young wife. Anybody ever been that much in love that they felt invincible?

[The Basket]

Yeah but Capirossi has a nice wife and its all gone horribly wrong. Its just bizarre how two riders can have such different seasons riding the same bike.

And he had a tech failure at Lugana. It never rains but pours. And a few top riders crashed out. So I think Stoner and Ducati are the top package but it aint over yet.

Capirex will probably tell Ducati to stuff it after they signed Melandri and got to Suzuki.

[Razor]

Capi started arguing with his missus as soon as he got back to the Ducati garage yesterday. They have a young kid, those couples are seldom happy. Especially when Dad is out risking his neck every other weekend.

[ASM-Forever]

Stoner has definitely gone up in my estimation this season....but for some reason i can't bring myself to like/support him. Although time is on his side i doubt he will ever be as good as Rossi.

Just to prove i am not a Rossi-***** i support de Puniet :)

[Jelster]

Well I'm a big Rossi fan, he has true ability, being able to win even when his bike is not competitive, and when the chips are down. I still think he has a lot to give this year.

However, I was also a fan of Stoner in his 250 days, always willing to make that pass when most wouldn't (or couldn't)... And it's not just the bike, Capriosi hasn't been that impressive this year on the same machinery, and he has more experience. It could be that the 800 suits Stoner better, but 6 wins in 11 races in only his 2nd season, if he was British he'd be on the news all the time...

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[injury_ian]

According to the latest 'Bike' mag. its all in the fueling, they have been restricted to 21 litres of fuel per race, 5% less than last year, but being 800cc they are flat out for longer,

ducati set up fueling on straights, lean on corners, others have gone for rich* corners and lean straights, its all v technical.

Just happens that ducati may have opted for the best solution, AND the fact thay are nearly as good-a riders as me :) lol

*well not rich but u'know what i mean

[Pedrosa]

Casey has always been a very raw and exciting talent. His progress attracted much criticism when in the 250 class and during his debut Moto GP season. The common factor in both of those cases was the fact he was pushinh his uncompetitive machines to the absolute limit every race.Being forced to ride like that to challenge has of course it's downside,which either equates to mechanical failures or crashes.

Let no-one forget that Dani Pedrosa was pushed very close by Casey before he secured his second 250cc title.

Casey has done the hard yards and now with the dominant package he rides now, his true ability is being witnessed. Despite his string of successes so far this season dont be mistaken in thinking the Ducati is a total piecem of cake to ride,you watch close and you will see the chassis bucking and flexing when he exits corners...much more than any other make of bike.

[Pedrosa]

Some very controversial comments made by the young Aussie in this interview. See what u think.


http://www.speedtv.com/articles/moto/motogp/38522/?page=1

[PeterM]

How so? Everything he voiced about parts and tyres is common knowledge. Interesting read though.

[Pedrosa]

PeterM...It is suggested by Casey that Honda satelite bikes are tampered with in some form or other to put them at a disadvantage to the factory bikes. Would that not appear controversial to you?:confused:

[The Basket]

Wouldn't wait in the rain for his autograph. Stoner doesn't have star quality if you get me.

Not saying he aint the best rider just not a star turn.

Now Rossi...he has that alright.

[PeterM]

That would be the only controversial point that I'd identify and it is a doozie.

[Pedrosa]

Basket..Casey is paid to deliver race results. Not slapstick comedy like Valentino and now unfiortunately Jorge Lorenzo.

Being a true motorcycle race fan, I am happy for a winner to be humble in his glory. This holds off perhaps the critics when things are not quite going your way. Valentino despite being second in the championship at present, does cut a slightly different figure at the moment dont you think?

You are not suggesting that all race winners should have their own rehearsed cabaret performance are you?

Go on Stacey take it all the way home fella.:cool:

[The Basket]

Basket..Casey is paid to deliver race results. Not slapstick comedy like Valentino and now unfiortunately Jorge Lorenzo.

Being a true motorcycle race fan, I am happy for a winner to be humble in his glory. This holds off perhaps the critics when things are not quite going your way. Valentino despite being second in the championship at present, does cut a slightly different figure at the moment dont you think?

You are not suggesting that all race winners should have their own rehearsed cabaret performance are you?

Go on Stacey take it all the way home fella.:cool:

I ain't saying against Stoner as a rider but as a star.
Remember the Doohan years? My God! I don't want to go there again.
MotoGP is supposed to be entertainment which brings the punters and the big sponsors in. If Stoner starts doin the Doohan then whats the point in watching?

[fizzwheel]

Rossi's been dominating for years, It makes a change to see somebody out front IMHO.

[carty]

PeterM...It is suggested by Casey that Honda satelite bikes are tampered with in some form or other to put them at a disadvantage to the factory bikes. Would that not appear controversial to you?:confused:

Pedrosa,

I personally didn't read the article in the same way - I think what Casey is trying to say (don't know if he was quoted verbatim or whether the author used 'artistic licence' with the write-up, that's another story!), is that in the factory teams, the readily replaceable parts would be consistent, high production quality parts, whereas in the satellite teams one part could be replaced with another supposedly of the same spec but it was not quite of the same spec. Does this make sense?:confused:

ie, even with fuel from whoever the fuel provider was, one barrel of fuel provided to a satellite team could be of different chemical make-up to another barrel, whereas in the factory team it would be consistent. Or a small engine part (can't think of anything in particular!) that needed to be replaced might not be of consistent quality. These are things that could affect the running of the bike from session to session as they got replaced. The mechanics think they're replacing like-for-like but they're not.

I might have read it wrong but this is what I think. Don't know if what i wrote makes any sense to anyone else though?! :p

He get's very defensive about the tires (sic) though doesn't he?! I can see his point that he now believes the rules to be 'fairer' but the fact is that Bridgestone are operating as they always have been and the Michelin riders, as far as they are concerned, have had to completely change the way they approach the race weekends. It will obvioulsly take time for Michelin to adapt to this new way so for the time being, fair or unfairly the Michelin riders are at a disadvantage because Michelin cannot cope with the new rules. IMO!

Cheers,
Matt

[fizzwheel]

whereas in the satellite teams one part could be replaced with another supposedly of the same spec but it was not quite of the same spec.

Or another part thats just as worn out, Look at Chaz Davis at Laguna had to stop because his rear sprocket lost its teeth... Also remember Neil Hodgson crashing a couple of years back on the D'antin bike, the team didnt have working tyre warmers and he lost it on a bend as the tyre was stone cold and not up to temperature...

[carty]

I've just been looking at www.motogpmatters.com (http://www.motogpmatters.com) (great read if you don't look at it already?!) and one of the pictures from Laguna Seca kind of backs up one of my theories about the parts - there is a picture of them refilling the jerry can from a Repsol barrel, presumably the good stuff. I would imagine this to be of a consistent high quality whereas the stuff labelled 'generic satellite team vegetable oil' is probably not the same from barrel to barrel. :)

Great pics on the site as well, I love the one of Shinya Nakano looking at the camera rather than where he's going!

Cheers,
Matt

[Pedrosa]

Cartrim..I place below a specific question and answer which highlights exactly what I referred to.The inference here is for me definitely not about receiveing second hand parts!

SpeedTV: What is the most annoying question you keep getting asked?

C.S: Why did you crash so much last year? I know the reason and I think for a lot of people it should be obvious what the reason is. The way we have been able to step it up this year without the crashes. There were too many times that the bike would change from one session to the next or from qualifying to the race and it was nothing that the team was doing. Other people were playing games. I am not going to say who but it has been obvious over the years how certain companies have played with their riders. ‘We want you to win, yep, but we don´t want you to win,’ and it is obvious that that has happened. It wasn’t obvious to me last year. Every time I crashed I was in the gravel trap scratching my head and saying ‘what the heck is happening here, I’m losing the front for no reason’. I get off the brakes, just touch the gas, I was already picking the bike up. It all started with the crash in Barcelona, I went in there the same as I had in practice and it was gone. Mugello, that was a bit more my fault, but the other crashes, starting with Barcelona -- I did not know what to do, I did not know why I was crashing and why it was my fault.

[carty]

I still think that that comment can be taken in two ways. And also, as I mentioned before, due to 'artistic licence' by the journo that may not have been exactly what Casey said. Obviously I don't know the truth one way or the other but this is just my opinion! :)

I think you can read the comment 'other people playing games' to mean that the companies supplying the parts were not giving them consistent parts, or parts to the spec that they were promised. In the next sentence he says 'it has been obvious over the years how certain companies have played with their riders' - he could mean a particular satellite team playing their riders off against each other, or he could mean the parts companies supplying sub-standard bits.

If he does mean that individuals have been deliberately and detrimentally tampering with bikes between sessions that is quite a bold claim! And it would surprise me that anyone could do it unless the whole team was in on it cos those bikes must get watched like hawks! :smt079 Obviously it is possible I just don't think it is probable.

All in my humble opinion! Interesting topic though :)

Cheers,
Matt