Stoner and Ducati to Part Ways
Rennie Scaysbrook | November 13, 2018
Stoner and Ducati to part ways—Australian Casey Stoner and Ducati have announced they will end their collaboration at the end of the 2018 season.
Stoner, a two-time MotoGP World Champion with first Ducati in 2007 and Repsol Honda in 2011, has been a star ring-in test rider for Ducati for the past three seasons, often setting the pace in preseason tests despite very limited seat time compared to regular test rider Michele Pirro and full time riders Andrea Dovizioso and Jorge Lorenzo. Stoner has also had input into the production machines Ducati produces, including the Panigale V4 series.
Stoner and Ducati to part ways
The announcement of Stoner and Ducati’s split likely means Stoner’s days of riding/testing a MotoGP machine have come to an end.
“I want to thank Ducati for the great memories and especially the support and enthusiasm of the Ducati fans for our shared passion for racing and motorcycling, I’ll always remember this, Stoner said. “Over the past three years I have really enjoyed doing my job with the test team, the engineers and technicians, as we worked towards improving the Desmosedici GP package and I sincerely want to wish the team all the very best for their future endeavors.”
Ducati CEO Claudio Domenicali added, “Casey is and will always remain in the hearts of Ducatisti and it is also on their behalf that we wish to thank him for the important collaboration he has offered us over the last three years. His technical indications and suggestions, together with the work and the feedback of the factory riders and Michele Pirro, have helped to make the Desmosedici GP one of the most competitive bikes on the grid, and his advice for the development of our production bikes has been just as precious and useful. Ducati and its many fans wish to offer their sincere thanks and their best wishes to Casey and his family for a serene and happy future.”
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