Jorge Lorenzo ‘curious’ to see Casey Stoner at Honda

MotoGP world championship leader Jorge Lorenzo says he’s curious to see how Aussie rival Casey Stoner will gel with Honda’s factory RC212V machine in 2011.

Stoner was the first of the big four to confirm his plans for next season when his move to HRC from Ducati was unveiled before the previous race in Germany.

Stoner, who won the 2007 world championship for Ducati, is expected to partner Spaniard Dani Pedrosa with plans for a three-rider ‘super-team’ to also feature Andrea Dovizioso under threat because of a lack of sponsorship.

Italian Dovizioso might have to move to the satellite Gresini squad but still get top factory support alongside Marco Simoncelli. 

Lorenzo meanwhile, who has yet to pen a new deal with Yamaha, said it would be interesting to see whether Stoner can be as formidable an opponent for Honda as he has been for Ducati.

The 23-year-old told MCN: “It will be interesting. Everybody is curious to see Casey with the Honda and what he is capable of doing with that bike. I think Ducati and Honda are also very competitive. Casey has talent so for sure he will be very fast with the Honda.”

Lorenzo starts this weekend’s American MotoGP race at Laguna Seca with a 47-point lead over fellow Spaniard Dani Pedrosa.

The pair have won seven out of the opening eight races of the 2010 campaign, though Valentino Rossi missed 50 per cent of the campaign with a broken right leg.