The long break imposed by the coronavirus, in the form of a corrosive confinement, awakens the memories of pilots who no longer have any other way to pass the time than to rehash the past. And the subject that often comes to mind is a Casey Stoner who marked them with a disarming natural talent. So much so that he put a very deprived Ducati factory under his control when he decided to look elsewhere. Michele Pirro, the test pilot at Borgo Panigale, remembers a special moment…
He went through MotoGP history as fast as his lap times on any bike put at his disposal. The irony is that if the coronavirus had not stopped the hourglass by freezing everyone at home, we would not have put it back in the place it deserves: that of the great pilots who left their mark on history. It is Casey Stoner whose name has never been cited as much as a reference by his peers since the start of this crisis...
Michele Pirro does not escape the movement. In an interview with GP One, he remembers his work alongside him as a test pilot Ducati, with this anecdote which says a lot about the Australian champion: “ I had the chance to work with him, as well as with other champions, but Casey has traits that can't be replicated, he was the only one to impress me. »
« Casey Stoner was an advantage and a limit for Ducati »
It develops : " it was an incredible driving style. I tried its mapping once during a test and couldn't complete even one lap at Sepang. He spun without control and was able to manage everything with his wrist, I think he is the only one with this feature. Stoner's cartography was an inhuman thing. »
Such talent has advantages but also disadvantages for a builder. And Ducati paid the price: Casey was an advantage and a limit for Ducati »Insists Pirro. " He won but there are few Stoners, just like Marquez, Rossi and Dovizioso when he is in good shape. The problem is that all the drivers who have come through this team have struggled. Stoner won and the others finished 15th. Someone like Stoner doesn't let you develop, with him you win and in those years, after losing Stoner, we had to recover the undone development. »
We now understand a little better why Honda went out of his way to keep Marc Marquez until 2024…
