Story Highlight
– Casey Stoner acts as a coach for MotoGP riders.
– He critiques the current state of MotoGP.
– Stoner supports Francesco Bagnaia during his career crisis.
– Bagnaia struggles with his motorcycle’s performance issues.
– Stoner emphasizes continuous improvement, not quick fixes.
Full Story
Casey Stoner, the former MotoGP champion, is gradually transitioning into a coach for current riders, with Francesco Bagnaia particularly in need of guidance. Stoner has openly expressed his dissatisfaction with the current state of the MotoGP, offering critiques while still remaining supportive of the athletes in the sport.
During a recent visitation at Misano, Stoner, who has won two World Championships, attempted to assist competitors from his former teams. His involvement was first noted during a visit to Honda, where rider Luca Marini benefited from Stoner’s insights, achieving commendable results in what was essentially a home race for him. Stoner, however, downplayed his influence, attributing Marini’s success solely to his own efforts.
Conversely, while visiting his next former team, Ducati, Stoner encountered a different scenario. Amidst Marc Marquez’s consistent victories, Francesco Bagnaia is struggling significantly, facing what Stoner describes as the lowest point in his career. Stoner commented on Bagnaia’s situation, stating, “We can look at this after a day or a session and think what we like. It’s something that needs to happen continuously. It doesn’t just change overnight. He needs to rebuild his confidence. He is finding it challenging in various areas.”
Stoner remained with Bagnaia during testing following the San Marino Grand Prix, initially agreeing with Stefan Bradl, who had criticized Bagnaia’s apparent lack of motivation. Yet, after observing more closely, Stoner reassessed his view: “I personally thought Pecco needed to pull himself together a bit more. But then I saw issues with his bike that didn’t correlate with the other Ducatis. They all appeared much more comfortable.”
Bagnaia also articulated his appreciation for Stoner’s guidance during these tests, commenting, “I saw Casey working on the bike this morning.” He highlighted the value of having a relationship with Stoner, along with rider-coach Manu Poggiali, who provided support throughout the weekend.
The insights from Stoner and Poggiali were invaluable to Bagnaia, who noted, “They have an incredible eye. What I was feeling on the bike, they knew even before I told them.” However, Stoner found it challenging to pinpoint Bagnaia’s specific difficulties on the track, stating, “Honestly, it’s hard to see what he personally struggles with. Everything looks quite normal, yet he just can’t extract the best from the bike.”
Concern over Bagnaia’s performance has even reached the ears of Ducati’s managing director, Gigi Dall’Igna. In the midst of his ongoing struggles, Bagnaia remains receptive to assistance, expressing gratitude toward Stoner for his analytical approach, albeit hinting that it may sometimes be excessive: “For me, it was very important that he was there.”
As Bagnaia continues to seek solutions, the presence of Stoner in the Ducati garage is likely to become a more common sight in the future.
