MotoGP: Dall’Igna Wants Closer Ties With Stoner In 2017

“He was really important, because he gave us some extra data, extra ideas to develop the bike.”

By Sreejith

Published: Monday, December 5, 2016, 13:15 [IST]

Ducati MotoGP general manager Gigi Dall'Igna said that the team wants two-time MotoGP champion and test rider Casey Stoner to work closer in 2017. Stoner is the only rider to win a title in MotoGP with Ducati back in 2007.

MotoGP: Dall’Igna Wants Closer Ties With Stoner In 2017

The Australian claimed his second title in 2011 with Honda and retired at the end of the 2012 season. Then he spent three years with Honda as its test rider. In 2016, he returned to the Borgo Panigale team and did four tests.

Next year Jorge Lorenzo arrives in Ducati team and Stoner will work with the Spaniard. Dall'Igna wants to use Stoner's experience to fine tune the Desmosedici GP17.

"I'm really happy that Casey joined us in 2016," Dall'Igna said. "He was really important, because he gave us some extra data, extra ideas to develop the bike. And so I'm very happy and proud to work with him.

"For next year, I would like that he makes more tests for us, and also works closer to me and to our technical department just to have the possibilities to bring his experience and work with us to develop the bike and speed up the process."

At the post-race test in Valencia, Stoner was present in the Ducati garage when Lorenzo took the race machine to the track. Dall'Igna said, "But not only Lorenzo, also with me and also with Andrea Dovizioso, we are happy to work with him. He has a lot of experience, and I think that he can help us to go in the right direction."