Stoner Going, Going, Gone to Honda?
As a counterpoint to the Rossi to Ducati rumors, have been consistent and insistent rumors about Marlboro Ducati rider and 2007 MotoGP champion, Casey Stoner, following his former team manager Livio Suppo to Honda. The rumors began at Jerez with HRC reportedly speaking with Casey’s father Colin, but the latest says Stoner has signed, for 5 million Euros per year.
Honda hasn’t had a MotoGP title since 2006 when Nicky Hayden took the last ever 990cc era crown for them. They have struggled since, never looking a title winner in the 800cc era even with acknowledged alien, Dani Pedrosa, at the bars.
Apart from Suppo already having made the move from Ducati to Honda, Stoner is languishing in 8th in the points table having crashed twice and not even beaten his teammate in the only 2 races they have both finished this season. Add to this his controversial 3 race hiatus last season and it doesn’t take too much brain power to argue that Casey may want out of Ducati and on to pastures new. Despite these current setbacks though, Stoner is a bona fide World Champion with 20 premier class victories to his name.
No less than BMW World Superbike’s manager (but former Ducati World Superbike manager) Davide Tardozzi claimed Stoner was better than even GOAT aspirant Rossi earlier this year.
“Ducati has the best rider in the championship, Casey Stoner – and I say that with no fear of being misinterpreted,” Tardozzi said. “The new regulations that have significantly reduced the amount of testing will also favour him; he only needs one lap to be able to go quickly.”
link: Stoner Better than Rossi Claims Tardozzi | Ducati News Today
Now Germany’s Speedweek (English Translation) is reporting that the deal is done and that Stoner is Honda bound for 2011 with a paycheck of $5 million Euros (~$6M) per year for his troubles.
If true, what this means for current HRC factory riders Pedrosa and Dovizioso is not clear (although Ducati News believes Pedrosa will stay with big red, perhaps in Gresini colors on a factory bike). More importantly, the movement of Stoner would likely be a necessary (but not a sufficient) condition for Rossi to move to Ducati as Ducati News has argued for some time.
via MotoMatters
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