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Casey Stoner: I Think I Know What Lorenzo Is Looking for in a Motorcycle

Casey Stoner is back in the middle of the Ducati fans, and has recently attended the World Ducati Week last weekend, in Misano. Once more donning the red livery, and putting in some laps aboard the stunning 1299 Panigale S Anniversario, Stoner also talks about his duties and future at Ducati.
Casey Stoner and the Ducati 1299 Panigale S Anniversario 1 photo
Photo: Ducati
Obviously, one of the main questions was whether he would make a return to MotoGP racing as a wildcard. The MotoGP Legend replied with the same answer we've heard on so many occasions, that a wildcard appearance is not on his list at the moment.

The Aussie once more said that there is a long way until he could make such an appearance and that his physical condition is still nowhere near that of an actual racer. Stoner added that the last tests with Ducati, in hot weather, demonstrated once more that he still needs to get in shape. "I have no plan of this kind at this time, the only thing I plan is to test the bike again in Austria. Testing is the important thing for me, and for that, I have to train: the last test with all the heat required a lot of energy from a physical point of view. For now, I have only this in mind, and no plans for the "after"."

Stoner also said that the Desmosedici GP is not revealing its entire potential, and, despite the strong progress Borgo Panigale makes in testing, there is a lot to be improved. The Desmosedici has good brakes, stability, and an engine to match them, but the average racing speed can be improved, for sure, the Oz rider adds.

The press asked if Ducati demanded of him to develop a bike for the new star of the team, Jorge Lorenzo, who will join the reds after the final round at Valencia. Stoner said that a bike would be better off if developed as a balanced one from scratch, instead of being tailored from the ground up for a rider.

If the bike feels good, well-balanced, and predictable, then it's much easier to be tuned to the particularities of each riding style, Stoner says. The Desmosedici GP is not far from being on par with the top bikes in MotoGP, but the rider input will be critical to close the gap.

Even though he did not reveal any of secret preparations Ducati makes for Yamaha's Spaniard, Stoner says that he thinks he knows what Lorenzo will be looking for in the new bike. He adds that there are certain similarities in the riding styles of Rossi and Lorenzo, but that the two are fast overall in different ways.

Now, with the aerodynamic winglets banned from 2017, it will be very interesting to see how Lorenzo fares on the bike Casey Stoner and Ducati prepare for him.
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