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MotoGP
MOTOGP: Stoner Questions Hayden’s Effort
Riding high with Honda, Casey Stoner had some harsh words for former Ducati teammate Nicky Hayden and successor Valentino Rossi.
Ducati Marlboro's Nicky Hayden (Photo: Ducati Corse)
Casey Stoner, the rider who took Ducati to the top in MotoGP, says he is mystified by the lackluster performance of Valentino Rossi and Nicky Hayden on the red bikes this year.
Stoner, now Honda's primary championship hope, starts from pole position for Sunday's British Grand Prix as he targets a fourth win in six attempts this season.
Hayden has qualified seventh, more than two seconds slower than Stoner, yet still six positions ahead of Ducati teammate Rossi, who was a massive 3.7s off Stoner's pole time. The Italian starts on the fifth row in 13th position.
Despite the legendary Rossi's struggles, it is Hayden's performances that have most surprised Stoner, who rode alongside the Kentucky Kid in 2009 and '10 at Ducati.
Hayden qualified today with the same lap time he did one year ago at Silverstone when he was fifth on grid. Meanwhile, in his first season with Honda after four years at Ducati, Stoner is 2.3 seconds faster than a year ago.
The arrival of Rossi was expected to be the catalyst for a transformation of Ducati performance, but seven months and many changes later the red team often finds itself embarrassingly off the pace.
"The biggest surprise this year on the Ducati is Nicky," Stoner said. "It seems like he was waiting for Valentino to come along and fix the bike and make it better for him to ride. But if Nicky just concentrated and rode like he did last year he would be having a lot better results that what he has got so far."
Stoner, now Honda's primary championship hope, starts from pole position for Sunday's British Grand Prix as he targets a fourth win in six attempts this season.
Hayden has qualified seventh, more than two seconds slower than Stoner, yet still six positions ahead of Ducati teammate Rossi, who was a massive 3.7s off Stoner's pole time. The Italian starts on the fifth row in 13th position.
Despite the legendary Rossi's struggles, it is Hayden's performances that have most surprised Stoner, who rode alongside the Kentucky Kid in 2009 and '10 at Ducati.
Hayden qualified today with the same lap time he did one year ago at Silverstone when he was fifth on grid. Meanwhile, in his first season with Honda after four years at Ducati, Stoner is 2.3 seconds faster than a year ago.
The arrival of Rossi was expected to be the catalyst for a transformation of Ducati performance, but seven months and many changes later the red team often finds itself embarrassingly off the pace.
"The biggest surprise this year on the Ducati is Nicky," Stoner said. "It seems like he was waiting for Valentino to come along and fix the bike and make it better for him to ride. But if Nicky just concentrated and rode like he did last year he would be having a lot better results that what he has got so far."
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