Stoner slams Ducati: "Bagnaia treated unfairly"

Casey Stoner knows well what it means to win with Ducati. He was the rider who brought the Emilia-based manufacturer back to the top of MotoGP in 2007 and, twenty years later, he continues to closely follow everything that happens in the World Championship. He gives full marks to the signing of Pedro Acosta but defends Pecco Bagnaia from empty criticism.

Acosta–Marquez could be the long-coveted “dream team” Ducati has wanted since the days of Jorge Lorenzo. Marc’s arrival has already changed the face of the Ducati garage, with the world title won in his first year with the factory team. The rising talent of Pedro could not go unnoticed by the manufacturer that, for the past four years, has been sweeping the board in MotoGP. “You can’t argue with the lineup. Marc is incredibly reliable. You know what he’s capable of. He has incredible talent and it seems that, regardless of injuries, he always finds a way to keep getting results,” Stoner commented.

Speaking about Pedro Acosta, the two-time Australian champion made it clear he never doubted his abilities. However, he believes the Spanish rider still has room to grow, especially from a psychological standpoint. “With Pedro we’ve seen the talent, no doubt. I’d like to see him have a bit more patience. I have the feeling there are certain riders on the grid he doesn’t like to have in front of him, so he’ll do anything to get past them.”

According to Casey Stoner, a title contender needs to know when it’s worth taking risks and when it’s better to settle for banking important points. “If you want to win championships, that approach doesn’t work. You have to know there will be days when you won’t win, and you have to accept that.”

During a long interview with MotoGP.com, Casey Stoner also delves into the Pecco Bagnaia affair, out of Ducati after winning two world titles and taking a second place. He doesn’t hide a certain bitterness about how the Piedmontese rider has been treated in recent months. “I feel very sorry for Pecco, because it’s true he’s had some difficulties lately. Everyone lost confidence in him because they said he was just complaining, that the bike was always the same, and so on. But I could see from the outside that the bike was not the same.”

The Australian MotoGP legend highlighted Bagnaia’s importance to the Emilia-based brand. “He’s a very refined rider, very smooth in every respect, and I saw the bike doing things it shouldn’t have been doing.” In his view, Pecco paid the price for a situation that went beyond results. And he believes he didn’t receive the recognition he deserved after putting Ducati back on the world throne. “He delivered two titles (to Ducati, ed.) after the one I won… He was treated unfairly, without a doubt.”

-> Follow us on Instagram: @Corsedimoto