Stoner crashes

Australian Casey Stoner walked away unhurt from a massive high-side at the end of the final day of testing in Jerez today.

The 21-year-old crashed his factory Ducati Desmosedici GP7 in the stadium section at the Spanish venue in the final half-hour of the three-day test.

His leathers were scuffed and his machine badly damaged. Although not obviously injured, he was taken to hospital as a precaution after banging the back of his head in the spill.

A Ducati spokesman said: “He got a knock on the back of the head and the doctors just wanted to check him over. But he is ok.”

It was Stoner’s second crash on the Ducati after he suffered a small crash in Qatar earlier this month and saw him end a positive winter testing campaign in disappointing fashion.

He struggled to match his brilliant pace in Phillip Island and Qatar throughout the test and he said: “The is the worst test we have had a long time.”

He’d earlier finished sixth fastest in the televised 40-minute qualifying session which saw Valentino Rossi edge out title rival Dani Pedrosa to win the keys to a BMW Z4 Coupe.

The new season kicks off in Qatar on March 10, 2007.