Two-time world champion Casey Stoner has stated that Valentino Rossi ruined his own championship last year.
In an interview with MCN Stoner said that Rossi had a fantastic year, but failed to make it count at the very end, for the second time in his career.
“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.”
“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.”
Rossi was given a back of the grid penalty at the final round following a clash with Marquez at Malaysia, leaving Marquez out of the race.It is believed that The Doctor lost his cool after tensions began to build after accusations were made by Rossi about Marquez’ controlling the pace during the Philip Island race, benefiting Lorenzo.
Lorenzo then won the Championship at Valencia, after dominating the race from start to finish. The Honda’s of Marc Marquez and Dani Pedrosa managed to close the gap to the Spaniard, but it wasn’t enough to help Valentino out. Rossi himself stormed from the back of the grid to 4th place, which wasn’t enough to win him the World Championship crown for the tenth time.
“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.”
