Casey Stoner’s wrist will be under the spotlight in Qatar this weekend when the Australian kicks off his campaign to win back the MotoGP title from Valentino Rossi.
Ducati’s 2007 world champion starts as favourite to win Sunday night’s season-opener and seal a hat-trick of victories at the fast and flowing Losail circuit on the outskirts of Doha.
Stoner was overall runner-up to Yamaha’s Rossi last year with the highest points tally ever amassed without taking the title and the renewal of their duel is eagerly awaited.
“The wrist is becoming better all the time and the arm is getting stronger so there are no complaints,” the 23-year-old Queenslander told Motorcycle News. “It doesn’t affect me when I’m riding.”
Italian Rossi, now 30 and just three wins away from his 100th grand prix victory after taking his sixth title in the top category, has won twice before in Qatar but never at night.
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