Casey Stoner terms Marc Marquez as ‘the fastest rider still’ and answers if he would move to Ducati himself

Casey Stoner has ridden the Ducati and the Honda. The Australian legend comments if he would have made the move to Ducati from Honda today, Just like Marc Marquez.

Casey Stoner terms Marc Marquez as ‘the fastest rider still’ and answers if he would move to Ducati himself

Marc Marquez and Casey Stoner (via motonews)

Casey Stoner is famous for his ability to ride the Ducati (which later proved to be absolutely unrideable by any other rider) from 2007-2010. Stoner famously won the Title in his first year at Ducati (2007) after switching from his LCR Honda, this is something that Marc Marquez will be aiming for in 2024. Stoner spoke about Marquez and the Spaniard’s move to Ducati.

Crash.net reported Stoner answering a question of whether the Australian rider, himself would have made the same decision as Marquez, of leaving Honda for Ducati right now. Stoner answered saying no, he claimed he would stay at the ‘losing’ team if he identified the team’s efforts in ‘winning together’. He said, 

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Not if the manufacturer was showing me that they’re trying their hardest. If you’re putting in all your effort and they are, then it’s like winning together, losing together and let’s grow old together sort of thing.

The Legend later suggested Marquez’s departure from Honda could be because the Spaniard didn’t see Honda put as much effort into winning as he was putting in himself as a rider.

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Stoner, who remains the only rider in history to be World Champion with both Honda and Ducati, commented on Marquez’s chances of repeating this feat next year. Stoner claimed Marquez to be the fastest rider in MotoGP but questioned Marquez’s perception of the Ducati’s pace. He continued to say, 

The championship? That’s a difficult subject - I would say he’s still the fastest rider on the grid but maybe he’s overstated what he thinks these Ducatis are. Without doubt there’s a chance, a very strong chance.

How important Casey Stoner is to Marc Marquez’s career

As we cast our minds back to 2012, a faded portrait of an era of rapid change and unimaginable competitiveness in the Premiere Class appears. Jorge Lorenzo, Casey Stoner, and Dani Pedrosa were at the top of their form in 2012. The 3 riders, often recognized as the three riders among the ‘Fantastic Four’ – a group of 4 riders deserving of the highest honor in MotoGP history, who competed harder than anyone before, constantly being in a tussle throughout multiple seasons.

Marc Marquez and Casey Stoner (via motonews)
Marc Marquez and Casey Stoner (via motonews)

Casey Stoner had migrated from his dismal Ducati to the fastest bike on the grid – Honda in 2011 and was starting the 2012 Championship as the Reigning World Champion after his Title triumph with Honda in 2011. On 17 May 2012, during the pre-event press conference at the French Grand Prix, Casey Stoner shockingly announced that he would be retiring from MotoGP at the end of the 2012 season, at only 27 years old as he said the famous words, 

The Sport Has Changed, And I've Lost The Passion For It

The Repsol Honda team, hit by the shocking retirement, decided to experiment and promote a young talent into MotoGP to secure their future in the coming years. Honda’s aim behind signing this young rider was only to nurture him under the clear 2013 Championship Favorite – Dani Pedrosa.

This Young rider sent shockwaves across the Motorsport World as he Won the MotoGP title in his Debut Year, going down in history as the only rider to do so. The history books still read, as they always will – Marc Marquez, -2013 World Champion.

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