Stoner's take on 2015 MotoGP season

The 2015 championship was an intense fight between Valentino Rossi and Jorge Lorenzo. So how did the man that has beaten them both see it?

Stoner said: “Valentino rode a fantastic championship, I don’t think anyone expected him to ride at that level from the first race. But there’s no doubt that Jorge was a worthy champion. Jorge rode better and won more races.

“There is only one stat that counts. Valentino has only been pushed to the last round of the championship twice and he has lost it twice, under pressure at Valencia in 2006 and this year.

“Valentino always won his championships with a big points margin or with at least one race to go, but this year Jorge had the momentum going to the final rounds. Even without Valentino’s rear-of-the-grid penalty in Valencia I think still think Jorge would have won the title.

“And I understand why Valentino was frustrated at Sepang but he lost his cool. I expected to see a wiser head on his experienced shoulders. Valentino ruined his own championship.

“When a rider as fast as Jorge finds his groove around Valencia it is very, very difficult to overtake. In five out of the last nine races at Valencia the winner has led every lap. Marc was never quite close enough to dive-bomb Jorge but imagine if he did and wiped Jorge out, then there would have been even more hate coming his way.”