MotoGP: Casey Stoner unfazed as MotoGP title beckons

MotoGP world championship favourite Casey Stoner says he has the experience to hold his nerve as he moves closer to winning his and Ducati’s first premier class world crown.

Casey Stoner holds a commanding 60-point lead over closest title rival Valentino Rossi with just six rounds remaining after the Australian dominated last weekend’s Czech Republic GP in Brno.

Casey Stoner followed that emphatic result by dominating a two-day test session this week at the Brno circuit, where he tried out a new smaller fairing and a new rear brake system, as well as a host of new Bridgestone rubber.

Although he has yet to win a world championship crown, Casey Stoner said a lack of experience would prove no obstacle in his bid to become Australia’s first MotoGP world champion since Mick Doohan in 1998.

“Everybody said you needed to be experienced to run at the front in this championship.

“You needed to be experienced to ride a Ducati, all these things. I’ve been racing for a lot of years, maybe not in this class, but still for a lot of years, so I think experience really means nothing. If you have the determination, a good team behind you and you know you use what experience you have to the best, then there’s nothing you can’t do, “said Stoner, who said he was hoping to emulate some of Rossi’s previous title successes by wrapping up the championship with races to spare.

He added: “Valentino always wins the championship before the end. So he is more relaxed, he enjoys the riding a little bit more. I’ve watched Valentino win many championships and I admire him for every one of those. And it’d be great if we could do it early this year.”