MotoGP Australia: Casey Stoner calls Marc Marquez ‘the fastest rider still’, but would he have left Honda too?

Casey Stoner has opened up about whether he would have made the same decision as six-time MotoGP champion Marc Marquez, which was to leave Honda for Ducati.
Marc Marquez, Honda MotoGP Phillip Island 2023
Marc Marquez, Honda MotoGP Phillip Island 2023

So often the benchmark rider and team combination, Marquez and Honda ꦫwill split at the end of the season as Marquez aims to become a MotoGP race winner again.

Honda’s fall from the top of MotoGP has been sudden, as the likes of Duꦇcati, KTM and Aprilia have out-developed the Japanese bra🦹nd in recent seasons.

But would Stoner, whℱo enjoyed a MotoGP title win with bo♛th manufacturers, have made the same call?

Marc Marquez and Casey Stoner
Marc Marquez and Casey Stoner

Speaking to TNT Sports, Stoner said: “Not if the manufacturer was showing me that they’re trying꧙ the🍌ir hardest. 

“If you’re putting in all your eꦕffort and they are, then it’s like winning together, losing together and let’s grow old together sort of thing. 

“But if they're not showing him the same effort that he’s putting in; maybe he’s seen things coming too slowly and are showing no ambition to speed things up, then you’ve kind of got to really get out there as a career doesn’t last forever💟. 

“It’s better 🅷to move on, at least for a year and see how thingꦚs go.”

Many expect Marquez to become an instant threat for ra💖ce wins and even the championship when the 2024 season begins, something Stonerಞ also feels is a very realistic possibility. 

Stoner added: “The championship? That’s a difficult suꦆbject - I would say he’s 🔯still the fastest rider on the grid but maybe he’s overstated what he thinks these Ducatis are. 

“We saw Rins win [on a Honda] and do great before he got injured. We knoꦯw that the bike was fine at the beginning of the year bu💎t then they all seemed to struggle. 

“🅰Without doubt there’s a chance, a very strong chance.🦹”

Bagnaia struggling, again! 

Francesco Bagnaia, Australian MotoGP 20 September
Francesco Bagnaia, Australian MotoGP 20 September

One of the big storylines from day-one of the Australian MotoGP was the difficulties Francesco Bagnaia was fac🅰ing.

The championship leader missed out on the top t🧸en in Practiceജ, meaning he will need to go through Q1 like in Mandalika last weekend. 

“He seemed to be struggling a bit. It dওidn’t seem to be anything with the set-up, just with the front-end,” said Stoner.

The Australian, who worked with Bagnaia’s current crew 🍃chief Christian Gabbari🔴ni, went on to discuss the impact he can have due to his success and ability to remain calm.

“Christian [Gabbarini] is a fantastic engineer. I𓆏 think he’s won with every rider he’s worked with in MotoGP. I was his first and then✤ everyone since he’s won races with. 

“Myself, Marc, Jack Miller, Pecco and Jo🐭rge Lorenzo. It’s quite a spread to work with. What he was best𝔍 at is keeping a nice calm garage. 

“He’s fantastic at coming ܫin and ꦬgetting information out of you.”

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