Stoner apologises for Qatar blunder
Added on Monday, April 12th, 2010 by Carole Nash Editor
Stoner apologises for Qatar blunder
Casey Stoner apologised to the Ducati team after blowing a commanding lead in the opening round of the MotoGP championship last night.
The 2007 champion, going for a fourth consecutive victory at Losail, crashed out after just five laps shortly after taking a commanding lead from eventual winner Valentino Rossi.
And Stoner, who had previously recovered from a sluggish start, conceded that his attempts to ease the Ducati around the circuit were ultimately his downfall, claiming that he had opted to be less aggressive with the front tyre only for it to lose grip at the crucial point.
“The bike bogged at the start so I didn’t get away well but I felt good and I was able to pass the other guys,” he claimed.
“Once I got to the front I started to get into my rhythm but I lost the front end a couple of times in long corners so I made the decision to try to ride a bit smoother and not put so much pressure on the front tyre with the full tank. Unfortunately that is what led to the crash because looking at the telemetry I didn’t have enough load on the front, so I guess in hindsight I should have stuck to the way I’d been riding all weekend. It’s my mistake and I apologise to the team because we’d done a great job this weekend and we leave empty handed.
“Having said that it’s not a complete disaster because we’ve found this weekend that the bike has improved in areas where we have struggled in the past – for example the rear grip was unbelievable – and we have a long, long way to go. I’m pleased for Nicky because he had a great race and I think we can both be confident and optimistic about the rest of the season with this bike.”
