800 corner speed concern

Faster corner speeds run by the new generation 800cc machines could be an issue in certain high-speed corners in 2007.

That’s the view of factory Ducati rider Casey Stoner, who reckons tracks like Estoril and Istanbul, which feature flat-out sixth gear corners with no braking on the entry, will be ‘interesting’ to see on the new smaller capacity bikes.

The 21-year-old said: “The corner speeds could be an issue at a real fast track. Phillip Island is quite fast but you still have to brake for the most of the corners just to tip it in, it’s not like Portugal or Turkey and those real fast corners at those tracks. In some ways the corner speeds are going up but the 990s were just too powerful for the tyres.  

“With these bikes we can put the power to the ground and do similar lap times. The 990 wasn’t as precise a bike. The 800s have the right amount of power that you can put it to the ground and go forward, where the 990s would be just spinning up.”