Casey Stoner might be retiring at the end of the season but the Australian’s appetite to lift a third world title is, if anything, greater than it has ever been.
Stoner goes into Sunday’s latest leg of the season, the Catalunya Grand Prix, bidding to repeat his wins at the Montmelo circuit in 2007 and 2011 – coincidentally, the years he went on to be crowned motorcycling world champion.
“Catalunya is one of my favourite races and it was the first major grand prix circuit I tested on,” explained Stoner.
“Ever since that moment, I fell in love with the track – the big fast sweeping corners. There’s a lot of control in the middle of the turn trying to get grip for the exit.
“We know the Honda works well here and we had a good race here last year. I just hope this weekend will be dry.”
He goes into this fifth race of the season placed second in the riders’ standings on 82 points, eight behind Jorge Lorenzo, who lines up on the back of his win at Le Mans last time out, where Stoner took third behind runner up Valentino Rossi.
“I am going to continue to give 100 per cent of my capabilities and even more in the remaining races,” Stoner said.
Aside from Lorenzo, one of Stoner’s main rivals on Sunday will be his Honda teammate and local hope Dani Pedrosa, who missed last year’s race due to injury.
“Montmelo is a difficult circuit for the bikes and the tyres but it’s always a great race,” Pedrosa told a media conference on Thursday.
A winner at Catalunya in all three categories, Pedrosa is third in the overall standings, 25 points below Lorenzo.
Lorenzo, like Pedrosa, feels at home in Barcelona, having set up base in the Catalan city.
“It’s my home race. I’m from Mallorca, but have lived in Barcelona for a long time,” he said.
“It’s also a track where I’ve had great results in the past. I think for the 1000cc Yamaha, it could be a good track. I hope we have a weekend with good conditions but, if it rains, we’ll be OK as well.”
The 2010 titleholder predicts a tight contest come Sunday.
“It’s (the season) been very tough with a lot of competition, especially in the front group with Casey (Stoner) and Dani.”
“The races have a very high pace and are physically demanding. To be at the front, you can’t stop concentrating. You have to be at the limit all the time and, of course, not crash,” said Lorenzo.
