Casey Stoner: ‘I need to get the job done’

Casey Stoner has conceded that he must step up his game to try and compete closer for a first MotoGP victory since last October.

The 24-year-old hasn’t won since the Sepang race in Malaysia nine months ago and in the opening eight races of the 2010 campaign, he has yet to finish higher than third position.

The factory Ducati rider heads into this weekend’s American Grand Prix at Laguna Seca with three successive third places and he said: “At the start of the season I was fast enough and then Jerez was my only bogey race.

“Le Mans I was fast enough and also at Qatar but I just didn’t finish those races. We changed the front forks (back to 2009 spec) in Mugello and I was trying to get my confidence back.

“And then I had arm pump and a bad start in Silverstone and in Assen the bike was good enough but I didn’t take care of my arm pump well enough. 

“There are reasons there and I think I can push at least later into the race than I have in the last few. There are no other reasons.

“I’ve just got to get the job done. I’ve just made small mistakes and things have held me back. “