Stoner eyeing title lead at Mugello
Added on Friday, May 29th, 2009 by Carole Nash Editor
Stoner eyeing title lead at Mugello
Casey Stoner believes that he is more than capable of catching the Yamaha riders at the front of the championship at Mugello this weekend after trailing the M1 in the last three rounds.
Stoner heads to Mugello in confident mood despite knowing that he’ll be on the receiving end of the taunts of more than 90,000 Italians cheering on Valentino Rossi and the four other Italian riders on the grid on Sunday.
The 2007 champion finished second last year on a track which should, on paper at least, suit the high-revving Ducati and a second win of the season is very much in the thoughts of Ducati’s main man.
“I can’t wait to race again in Mugello – a circuit where I’ve had good results and some unforgettable moments, such as my first ever pole position in 2003 and my first pole for Ducati in 2007, even though we just missed out on the podium in that race,” he said.
“Last year I finished second and considering the progress we’ve made since then, I’m sure we can be fighting for it again this time.2
Stoner currently stands in third place in the standings, one point behind leader Jorge Lorenzo and level on 65 points with Rossi as the so-called “big four” continue to jostle for position at the top of the leader board.
“It will be a tough race because the level of the competition is so high, as you can see from the championship standings, and all the home riders will be more determined than ever to do well.”
Meanwhile, teammate Nicky Hayden is still to impress the Ducati team bosses and believes that the manufacturer’s home circuit is the perfect place to do it.
The American is not the first rider to struggle with the Ducati in recent years but it’s hoped that a recent garage reshuffle is the answer to getting the most from the remaining four Ducati riders.
“It is going to be really nice for me to race at Mugello as a Ducati rider because I can remember from past seasons seeing all the fans dressed in red and cheering on their riders from the grandstand. It is an honour and a privilege for me to now be a part of this team and this tradition,” he said. “I hope with all my heart that I can be competitive because those fans don’t deserve to see a Ducati at the back.
“The track is awesome – there are maybe a few too many bumps but the layout is incredible and in general it is one of the best GPs of the whole championship.
“I’d really like to have some better results on the board and be going into the factory’s home race with some more experience under our belts but we are making progress and now I hope we can make a good step on Friday so that we can build on it over the rest of the weekend.”
