Burgess: Stoner's success not all about Ducati

Valentino Rossi’s crew chief Jerry Burgess said Ducati’s incredible top speed advantage is not the lone reason why the Bologna manufacturer has made such a dominant start to the new 800cc MotoGP era.

Burgess said much of the acclaim for Ducati’s superb start should go to fellow Australian Casey Stoner, who has taken victory in Qatar, Turkey and China already this season.

Burgess said while Ducati’s top speed was a big plus, the effort of Stoner and Bridgestone should not be overlooked.

“Ducati is the stand out bike in terms of top speed. If they are sacrificing some drivability in the lower gears to maximise the straights then that may not work for them at all tracks,” said Burgess.

He added: “But it is not just about the bike. It is the combination of the bike, the rider and the tyres. Ducati have a young bloke in Casey who can ride very well and he wants to go fast.”