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Stoner launches MotoGP attack on Rossi
DateAugust 15, 2012 - 3:46PM 2 reading now1
Read laterRobert Grant Email articlePrint .AAP

Australia's MotoGP world champion Casey Stoner has launched a stinging attack on Italian icon Valentino Rossi following Rossi's move back to Yamaha.

Rossi will saddle up again with Yamaha after a failed campaign with Ducati, on which Stoner won his first world title before switching to Honda.

Stoner has accused Rossi of failing to ride the bike to its limits and castigated the multiple world champion and his Australian crew chief Jeremy Burgess for boasting they could produce a Ducati on which "any rider could win."

"They ate their words from day one," Stoner said on Wednesday.

Advertisement "Jerry saying that it would take him 80 seconds to fix that bike and that it was a simple issue and now they have had almost two years and have not made any inroads.

"Valentino obviously doesn't want to push limits and ride a bike that is not perfect, he has admitted that.

"Obviously he doesn't want to put the effort in with Ducati."

In his most recent race Rossi was eighth and 10 seconds behind teammate Nicky Hayden when he crashed out of the US GP.

In his first stint with Yamaha - from 2004 to 2010 - Rossi won 46 races and four world titles.

In a stunning back-flip Rossi is walking away from a reported $A35 million deal at Ducati to take a pay cut to return to Yamaha.

The seven-time world champion failed to win a race on the machine in his 22 months with the team.

Although now with Honda, Stoner remains a hero in the eyes of Ducati fans, having won 23 races and the 2007 world title with the red team.

There have been months of tensions with Rossi citing a lack of development work by Ducati engineers while he has floundered to master the unique style of the bike.

"I just feel completely sorry for Ducati that Valentino has gone there and done nothing but complain about the bike for almost two years," Stoner said.

"The amount of times that guy has had to eat his words is not funny, but people still forgive him for it."

Rossi will now have to take the backseat behind his rival, Spaniard Jorge Lorenzo.

"Our main investment is in Jorge and he is the No.1 candidate to be champion both this year and next year. He is our No.1 rider," said Yamaha MotoGP boss Lin Jarvis."

I don't think Stoner should have said a word.Results speak for themselves.Stoner should have been the bigger man.
Only my opinion though....

Rossi is taking a page out of Schumacher's cook book.

It doesnt matter how many different ways you prepare & cook it, its still a pork chop.

Gav wrote:I don't think Stoner should have said a word.Results speak for themselves.Stoner should have been the bigger man.
Only my opinion though....

Yer, i agree, not saying anything, would have said more

I love & back every word Casey has said,, It needed to be said to the world, instead of under your breath comments that have been going around for over 18 months.

Everything he said was the truth, yet Casey makes one mistake, or makes a comment, he is labled a whinger.
The kid is just giving a bit back, & thats the Aussie spirit coming out in him.
Three cheers to him for saying what eveyybody is thinking, but hasnt gat the balls to say!!!

s man wrote:I love & back every word Casey has said,, It needed to be said to the world, instead of under your breath comments that have been going around for over 18 months.

Everything he said was the truth, yet Casey makes one mistake, or makes a comment, he is labled a whinger.
The kid is just giving a bit back, & thats the Aussie spirit coming out in him.
Three cheers to him for saying what eveyybody is thinking, but hasnt gat the balls to say!!!

+ 1 billion.

Rossi has never eaten so much humble pie in his life. As far as Jerry Burgess is concerned, I bet he will look back at his 2 years with Ducati as 2 of his worst ever years in the sport. 2 years he will never get back.

By saying nothing yeah Stoner may have come across the bigger man, but he's entitled to throw some back, after all he has done what Rossi couldnt on the mule. Rossi is now choking on that humble pie, but thats the price you pay for a big mouth.

Yep...Stoner is an absolute brilliant rider.Not much doubt about that.
But....don't forget the Duke was well developred when Stoner arrived to ride it,and the the big H was even better developed when he arrived.
I reckon he was the finishing touch that both machines needed to take atitle.
Unfortunately he also seemed to start moaning and groaning when he hit a Factory team.

Buggered if I know why Rossi couldn't get the Dukes act together.But neither has Hayden.
I'm well surprised that Rossi has not gone on with "the project",cause I think he has made a real goose of himself now.

Not taken sides, just sayin'.

Stuzrx wrote:Yep...Stoner is an absolute brilliant rider.Not much doubt about that.
But....don't forget the Duke was well developred when Stoner arrived to ride it,and the the big H was even better developed when he arrived.
I reckon he was the finishing touch that both machines needed to take atitle.
Unfortunately he also seemed to start moaning and groaning when he hit a Factory team.

Buggered if I know why Rossi couldn't get the Dukes act together.But neither has Hayden.
I'm well surprised that Rossi has not gone on with "the project",cause I think he has made a real goose of himself now.

Not taken sides, just sayin'.

couldn't agree more, if stoner feels so bad for ducati, then why doesn't he ride the sh1t box and try to win.

no rossi isn't riding it to its limits but he has proven his ability and really doesn't need to now, and when casey was on it he still had to prove himself and secure a ride.

just my 2c.

I am a massive fan of Stoner so can be a little biased. On one hand I say good on him sticking it to Rossi for running away from the Ducati as it was not a sorted bike by any stretch, in fact even in 2009, the last time a Ducati won (Stoner won 3 of the last 4 or 5 races that year) it was competitive right up until Rossi took over. However I would have preferred he shut up.

It should be noted the quote about 80 seconds by Jeremy has been taken out of context and Stoner should know this so it doesn't make him look good in my opinion.

On the flip side, suck it up Rossi, No 2 rider and won't be allowed to win unless Jorge is in trouble

Everyones got an opinion,

Stoners retiring, so kudos for him. Speak up what does he care, disheartened with the whole sport he has nothing to prove. Good luck to him i say.

Rossi going to Yamaha, good on him. Why should he "fix " ducati? who gives a fuck what he said in the past, he cant ride the thing so why should he stay? Good luck to him i say.

TONY-J wrote:couldn't agree more, if stoner feels so bad for ducati, then why doesn't he ride the sh1t box and try to win.

He already has.

Why wouldn't Stoner have a crack? It's not like he's going to have to deal with Rossi next season any way. This might just be his way of saying "Fuck you Rossi" and sticking the boots in before he leaves. It'll be his way of finishing on top of Rossi. The only other way he could do it would be to win the championship, but unfortunately that's not a given. In the future, when everybody looks back and compares the two you can bet your sweet ass that the Rossi fanboys bring up all his championships and all his accomplishments and Stoner fans are going continually bring up the whole Ducati saga.

So they should. Not only did Rossi fail on the bike that had ultimately proved its worth by winning the championship, he also failed on the same bike after all the "improvements" they've made in an attempt to make it better.

Just a note, Stoner has been the most successful rider in Motogp since 2006, end of argument

Good on him

If it was the other way around Rossi would of had a dig
He deserves every bit of lip

Naked Twin wrote:....Just a note, Stoner has been the most successful rider in Motogp since 2006, end of argument.....

well not really - he is still only equal 4th on the all-time list alongside Mike the Bike.