PC..
To be frank, I take very little of what Casey says as gospel, that's my point.
Going into Qatar 2007 he had completed just 10 races on a 990RCV. He was inexperienced and I doubt whether he knew what a well balanced, finely honed prototype felt like..I doubt whether he gave a fk either. Securing a factory seat was a fantastic opportunity and the kid grabbed it by the scruff of the neck, with both hands..the rest is history.
I don't blame him entirely for the run of results afterwards, although I believe he must share some of the responsibility, but given the above don't think it's surprising.
What I do blame him and his management for, is allowing the naysayers to get under his skin. The GP7 was fast with a great tyre and electronics package. Ducati did catch the Japs with their pants down but instead of smiling and saying.."Who cares..I beat Rossi on a Yamaha and Pedrosa on a Honda. I'm World Champ." He thought he should be receiving more credit, rightly or wrongly.
You don't win 10 races against that opposition, decimating the field in the process and NOT deserve it. His management should have told him that and kept telling him until it sunk in, but his sour response to the detractors only fanned the flames. I think it has undermined his efforts and shortened his career.
Stoner wanted to prove he was as good on every level when to me it's clear he was not. He allowed himself himself to get sucked in to mind games that, given his age and inexperience, he had little chance of winning. When he got undone at Laguna and it all boiled over affecting his title challenge..the hyenas laughed.."We told you so.."
The desire to be recognised for his talent and more, got the better of him and the fact his results got progressively less successful tended to back up the finger pointers and rile him even more.
Ducati didn't make it easy for him with their quirkyily designed bike either, much like they haven't made things easy for Rossi. Casey did get what he asked for however but, when the crashes started outweighing the wins..the writing was on the wall.
Such a shame..still, when world superbike usurps GP as the premier class in a couple of years, maybe we'll see a more relaxed and mature Casey back there. Here's hoping..
